Sayings like ‘I thought I died and went to heaven’ have influenced our view of heaven. Polls show that 72% of Americans rate their chances of going to heaven as good to excellent. Millions believe in different versions of heaven. For the many others that believe that heaven is not an actual place then this life is as good as it’s going to get. If so, of course we’ll be disappointed—we we’re made for so much more.
If we believe that this life is our best shot at happiness, if this is as good as it gets, we will live as desperate, demanding, and eventually despairing men and women. We will place on this world a burden that it was never intended to bear. Most of us live as though this life is our only hope.
Heaven is a desire.
The Egyptians used a hundred thousand workers for forty years to build a pyramid to protect their tombs. They had an understanding they would spend a lot more time in the afterlife than they would spend in this life. They believed that the afterlife was a whole lot more important than this life and so they prepared for the afterlife during this life. The cults and religious sects have used the afterlife to develop their philosophies and and unfortunate followers.
The Bible says, ‘God has set eternity in our hearts’ (Ecclesiastes .3:11). Our longing for something beyond this life whispers to us in our disappointments and screams to us in our pain As C.S. Lewis said,
“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.”
There is more. In the heart of every man, woman, and child is an inconsolable longing for intimacy, for beauty, and for adventure. What will heaven offer to our heart of hearts?
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9)
When I awake in Your presence there will be fullness of joy. Psalms 16:11
Heaven is a place. Psalms 115:3; 123:1; Rev. 5:11-14
There’s a joy of having someone wave to us and save us a place in a crowded room. Jesus said. “I am going … to prepare a place for you.” When Jesus promised His followers He is saving a place in heaven especially for each of us we can be certain of our future. I John 5:13
Heaven will be a place beyond our wildest dreams – a place with no more tears, sorrow or pain, no more death – a place with perfect relationships. Take the best day of your life and multiply it by a thousand.
Heaven is our home.
Thank God this life isn’t all there is. This life is not our permanent home. This is not the end of the road.. Heaven can be your assured homeland. Maybe like me, you long for a better place. The writer of Hebrews referred to the longings for a better home of the Old Testament believers.
But they were longing, looking and waiting for a better place, a heavenly homeland. Hebrews 11:16
But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. Philippians 3:20
Imagine being welcomed to your permanent home by Jesus. Imagine having a new body. Imagine seeing your departed loved ones. Can you imagine along with me the indescribable joy there will be when we see His face…
No more words. Sit down, close your eyes and listen and click here.
