Big Words of the Bible - Heaven

TJ Addington‘s Weekday Devos Podcast

Do you have longings in your heart that never seem to be fully realized? At some point in our lives we realize that the next toy, the next experience, the next business deal or relationship, all good in themselves, will not satisfy our soul. There is a reason for this. We were made for something more, something greater, and something more satisfying than anything in this world can provide. We were made for God and it is when we are finally in his presence that we will be most complete.

This is why CS Lewis wrote, “Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” We were literally made for another world where every desire of our heart will be satisfied, where none of our struggles with sin, pain, sorrow, sadness will exist any longer and where there is perfect peace in the perfect presence of God.

One of the most beautiful depictions of heaven is found in Revelation 21:1-7. Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”

Randy Alcorn in his best-selling book entitled Heaven - the best book in print on the subject in my view - writes this. "To long for Christ is to long for heaven, for that is where we will be with him. God’s people are “longing for a better country” (Hebrews 11:16). We cannot set our eyes on Christ without setting our eyes on heaven, and we cannot set our eyes on heaven without setting our eyes on Christ. Still, it is not only Christ but “things above” we are to set our minds on.”

One other passage from Revelation is important: Revelation 22:1-5. “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

Father, I cannot imagine heaven but you tell us that it is what our heart longs for because you are there and it is what we are made for. Remind me that this world will never satisfy my soul but you can and one day my soul will be fully and completely satisfied. Amen.