I am always thinking of heaven. Whenever I get into the presence of God and feel His love for me, I can’t help but think of being there already. If it makes me feel so good now with just a little bit of God’s presence, how much more when I’m there face to face with Jesus? Sometimes it makes me feel like I wish I could zoom up there and see what it’s like – without of course dying or getting killed. I just want to see it and be there already.
John the beloved, one of Jesus’ apostles wrote this about heaven and what is coming in the future. He said,
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. {Revelation 21:1-4}
I think it’s so important to remind ourselves of what is coming. It’s not always going to be what we see here now. Something more wonderful and incredible is coming. We can’t forget that a wonderful place awaits us. Why settle for what we have here on this earth when something so awesome is coming for us? Apostle Paul tells us,
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: {Philippians 3:20}
Paul is actually saying that our life (or our citizenship) is in heaven, not here on this earth – our life is with Jesus and we eagerly await for His return. That’s why he said in his writing to the Colossians:
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. {Colossians 3:2-4}
The truth is our life here on this earth is very temporary. Whether we see Jesus now or later, it will soon end. This world is not the end of all things. Something greater is coming. We can’t set our hearts and affections on the things we see and hear and feel on this earth. The Bible tells us, where our heart is there will be our treasure also. {Matthew 6:21} So if we love this world and we love the things of this world, our hearts will be toward it. That’s going to be sad because we will not want to leave it when the time comes, when Jesus appears and calls for us to stand before Him. The Bible tells us,
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {1 John 2:15}
I know it’s not easy. We live here, we were born here, this is all we know. How in the world are we going to do this – not love the world? It’s not easy, but it is possible through Jesus Christ. We have to spend time talking to Him and seeking after Him and falling in love with Him. He will help us love this world less and less as time goes by, and help us to be prepared for heaven when the time comes. That’s really all that matters – loving Jesus. Nothing else can compare to that or is more important than that. Loving Jesus is all that matters. Without the love for God we will love this world more and more, and if we love this world more than God then the love of the Father will not be in us.
Heaven is not just us sitting on a cloud playing harps, as so many cartoons will depict. It’s an actual place with buildings and cities. John the Beloved saw the New Jerusalem and described it for us. It seems to me that heaven is going to come down to a new earth – that heaven and earth are basically going to become one beautiful place. Maybe heaven and earth are just going to be a hop and skip away. He said he saw the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. Where is it going to come down to? I imagine it must be coming down to the new earth? John said that he saw the New Jerusalem coming out of heaven from God, shining with the glory of God, radiating like a most precious jewel, like jasper clear as crystal. He also said that the New Jerusalem was a city with walls and gates. He said,
The city had a great and high wall with twelve gates inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and twelve angels at the gates. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. {Revelation 21:12-14}
Then he said that the walls of this city, the New Jerusalem were made of jasper and pure gold. The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone. He also said that the main street, (imagine that it has a street) was pure gold, as pure as transparent glass. There will be no temple in it, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are it’s temple. It also doesn’t need the sun nor the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God will illuminate it. The gates will never be shut because there will be no night there and no unclean thing can enter into it, or anyone who practices abominations or lies. Basically, it’s heaven – a pure and perfect place. We will not have to worry about robbers, murderers, invaders, or anyone that will hurt us. I mean, talk about an awesome place!
I don’t know about you, but when I think of heaven and God being there on top of it, it just makes me want to go there so bad. I just want to leave this world of sorrow and sadness and work, work, work and worry, worry, worry, behind. I mean, really, what’s in here in this world that’s worth missing out on heaven for? I wouldn’t want to trade heaven for anything in the world. I want to make sure that I make it to the new heaven and the new earth. This world is not everything. I mustn’t set my heart and my affections on it. The Bible tells us,
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. {Proverbs 4:23}
It’s not long. Our wait here on this earth for God to return for us and to see heaven will not be long. We will soon see it. In the mean time here and now is where we have the wonderful opportunity to know more of God, to see His work in our lives and to invest in heaven and what we can do for Him. It will not be long. God will soon come for us and we will see the new heaven and the new earth.
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. {Revelation 21:5-7}
Prayer
Father, I thank You with all of my heart that Your love is true for us. You gave Your life at Calvary so that we can be set free to live eternally with You. We are nothing without You Jesus. We are lost without You. We need You. Please Jesus, save us and forgive us of our sins. Cleanse us from all our unrighteousness and make us pure and holy like You. For we want to be where You are Lord. We want to go to where You are and be there with You in that new holy city that John described – the New Jerusalem. Please Father, help us make it there. Please help us to overcome until the end. Help us to love You and talk to You always, and be honest and open with You everyday. I pray, in Your most wonderful and powerful name, Jesus. Thank You, Father. Amen.
