Do you ever think about heaven?
I’ve been thinking about it a lot this week, because a good friend died recently. She was a believer and participated in our home Bible study for many years. We knew her well and saying good-bye has been a bittersweet mixture of sorrow and joy.
What do you do when death comes near? Where do you go to mourn and be comforted?
On Thursday night our small group spent two hours remembering and celebrating the life and faith of our departed sister. We read and discussed several Bible passages that tell us what happens to a believer who leaves this world and enters the next.
When death came, this is where we went to draw near to God and one another . . .
Philippians 1:21-23
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
2 Corinthians 5:6-9
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Psalm 49:15
But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
John 14:1-3
1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Psalm 16:9-11
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
John 17:24
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
These passages, and many others, tell us that while heaven is a spectacular place beyond our wildest dreams, the focus of heaven is a Person. I love it when people ask, “What is heaven going to be like?” The answer is right here in these verses: To go to heaven is to be with Christ, where He is, at home with the Lord, taken to Him, filled with joy in His presence, receiving eternal pleasures at His right hand, seeing His glory forever.
That’s what heaven is all about – the experience of never-ending satisfaction in the presence of God. For the believer, the best is always yet to come, for our best life is never in this life. It awaits us in the next. Until then, we can know but a foretaste of glory divine by living out Paul’s instruction in Colossians 3:1-2.
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Aren’t you glad God has revealed these truths to us in His Word? I am.
Because of these precious promises, when a believer dies, we can be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Corinthians 6:10). Amen?
Please take time today to reflect on these questions:
1. Of the seven passages quoted above, which one is your favorite, and why?
2. Based on these passages, how do you describe what heaven is like?
3. How does the hope of heaven make a difference in your life on earth?
And if you find anything in this post helpful, please let me know by leaving a comment below.
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