1 Corinthians 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—Revelation 21:3b-4
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”Revelation 21:19
“The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald-“Revelation 21:21-25
“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.”
I want to focus on heaven today because … it makes me smile. It makes me happy to be reminded of what God is preparing for us. It gives me peace to rest securely in His love.
I will admit that my heart wants to be heavy. That’s why I choose these scriptures. There is so much sadness in this world. I praise God that my hope is not in this world but in the One who overcame the world: Jesus. (John 16:33)
Yesterday, we buried a 70-year-old family member—seven decades of life on planet earth. As I reflect on her life, I do not exaggerate to say she suffered almost every imaginable sorrow. Few would raise their hand to walk in her shoes. She knew too well the tragedies of abuse, abandonment, divorce, homelessness, and poverty. She lived a life of disappointment, a victim of both circumstances, and poor personal choices. But she is a victim no more! She has gone from victim to victory because she belonged to Jesus.
She enjoyed singing. I am told that she often sang the old hymn “How Beautiful Heaven Must Be.” The chorus reads:
“How beautiful heaven must be,
Sweet home of the happy and free;
Fair haven of rest for the weary,
How beautiful Heaven must be.” *
That is fitting. She was indeed weary. I am sure she longed for rest. She regularly shared how much she longed for home.
Heaven, our true forever home. Beautiful – absolutely beyond our comprehension. Perfect in every way because of who is there: Jesus. That is more than enough. But God lavishes us with more: eternity with our loved ones and the saints of the ages, in a place that is so beautiful, it cannot be described. Perfect because of who is there and what won’t be there: no more sin, death, mourning, crying, or pain.
The challenges of life’s journey on earth may vary among people, but everyone experiences hardship and difficulty on this side of eternity. It would be easy for those things to capture our focus -steal our joy. Instead, I urge you to focus on this: Jesus loves us. He loves us enough to come down as a baby, live among us, suffer and die, rise again and prepare a home for us…. heaven. Heaven!
“In heaven no drooping or pining, no wishing for elsewhere to be. God’s light is forever there shining, …how beautiful heaven must be.” *
If you happen to be going through a challenging time, hold on to the love of Jesus. He will get you through whatever life gives you and welcome you home to beautiful heaven.
“The angels so sweetly are singing, up there by the beautiful sea; Sweet chords from their gold harps are ringing, …how beautiful heaven must be.” *
Now re-read the scriptures listed above and smile with me. Our lives are but a vapor (James 14:14), appearing for a little while then vanishing away. For Christians, they vanish away from here to eternal life. Praise Jesus’ name!
Charlene Miller
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#charlenemillerblogs
*How Beautiful Heaven Must Be, Lyrics: Mrs. A. S Bridgewater; Music: Andy P. Bland