Heaven: Our Eternal Home

Chuckle: “There was a young belle of old Natchez Whose garments were always in patchez. When comment arose On the state of her clothes, She drawled, 'When Ah itchez, Ah scratchez!'” --Ogden Nash

Ponder This: “To God the Father, God the Son, And God the Spirit, Three in One, Be honor, praise, and glory given By all on earth, and all in heaven.” --Isaac Watts

HEAVEN: OUR ETERNAL HOME

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; Trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:1-4 NIV).

As I grow older, I find myself thinking about heaven and the hereafter more than I once did. How about you? Do you ever wonder what heaven will be like? I'm reminded of the old hymn, "When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!" It has been said that "heaven is the most beautiful place the mind of God could conceive and the hand of God could create." Revelation 21 and 22, gives us a glimpse into heaven and a brief description of what it will be like. We know it will be so far beyond anything the human mind can conceive that we will be overwhelmed when we see it.

In our above passage, Jesus was comforting his disciples and telling them in no uncertain terms that he was going to prepare a place just for them, and us, in his Father's house or heaven. Jesus' words show us that the way to eternal life is secure in Him. He was asking them, and us, to have faith in three ways as we live here on earth:

First, Faith in a Person. He said we should have faith (believe in, trust) in him. "You trust in God; trust also in me." You see, it is one thing to believe in God, but something altogether different to believe in the person of Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him. The Bible declares it is faith in Jesus Christ alone which gives us hope, comfort, and assurance of spending eternity in heaven. Jesus said, "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall never die" (John 11:24).

Second, Faith in a Place: We are to have faith in a place called heaven - our eternal home. Jesus said: "I am going to prepare a place for you." You may recall the old hymn: "There's a land that is fairer than day and by faith we can see it afar. For the Father waits over the way to prepare us a dwelling place there. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore."

Third, Faith in a Promise: We are to have faith in His promise to return: "I will come back and take you to be with me." What will happen when Jesus returns in power and glory? The Bible tells us that the dead in Christ will be raised first to be inhabited by their spirits from heaven. Then we who are alive at his coming shall be changed into our "glorified" bodies and then be caught up together with them in the air - forever to be with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:17 NIV).

Jesus ended his teaching by saying: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NIV). Have you placed your faith in the person of Jesus? Have you prayed - asking forgiveness for your sins - asking Him to come into your life and be your Savior and Lord? If so, then heaven awaits you as Jesus promised. May this thought bring you much joy. . . .!! "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" (I Corinthians 2:9 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse