Heaven

“Which planet is heaven on?” The question from my nine-year-old caught me a little off guard. I had never thought of heaven as being on a planet. “Heaven is not on a planet,” I explained. “We can’t see it. Remember the vision grandpa had before he died where he met grandma?” I asked. “It’s kinda like that. We can’t see it.” “I just imagine it up above us somewhere,” she replied, then her next question.  “When we are in heaven, will we be able to see people on the earth?”

I tried to explain, but how do you explain. “People that have died are not really in heaven yet. They are waiting for the end of time when everyone will be there and God will judge them. They are in kind of an intermediate place. Does that make sense?” I asked. “Yes”, she said, but I could tell she was thinking about it. How do you explain something you have never seen or experienced? In human terms it’s not easy to comprehend unless we have a little imagination and faith. I imagine her questions were a result of some things we have recently experienced and discussed.

Where is heaven in your mind? Is it on a planet somewhere far in the distance, a place you try not to think too much about? Like an illusion, figment of the imagination? Or, does it feel near, like just over the horizon? No one has come back from there to really tell us what it is like, yet we say we long for heaven. Why would someone have a longing to go to a place where we have never been, seen or experienced? If it were possible, would you hop in your car and drive there? Or would you put it off as long as you could, enjoying life before going?

I have had several dreams where I saw the Lord returning and I was rising to meet Him. It was impressive, I could see right through the roof, and feel myself floating through the air to meet Jesus. It was just a dream, but in one, I had this conviction that the Lord was wanting me to let go of the bondage which I was struggling with; emotional burdens, doubts, and fears, had me shackled. I believe the Lord was speaking to me, letting me know that I could turn loose of the worries, doubts and fears which caused me to doubt my salvation.

Heaven is more than a dream! Though we may not have been there, Jesus left us a promise that He is preparing a place for us with Him in His Father’s house. John 14:2-3 KJV 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Before my father-in-law passed away, he had an experience where he went somewhere to the great beyond. This profoundly affected his view of dying, and he was ready to go. Some others have had similar experiences which have dramatically changed their lives and perspectives. Most of them did not want to return from that place, and things of the earth were so mundane and unimportant.

I suppose many of us have a mental image of what it will be like. Yet it remains somewhat of a mystery. Like my little girl, the question remains, “where is it, and what will it be like?”

John apparently had a vision of heaven, and he was unable to describe it in earthly terms. Walls of jasper, city of gold like clear glass, a river clear as crystal; can we imagine that?  See Revelation. 21:9-27. Imagine, no pain, no sorrow, no stress, you will not have to work and you will not get tired. No crippled children, nor any affected by the ravages of sin. Revelation 21:4. The throne of God and the saved of the earth praising God, casting their crowns at His feet. The song of the redeemed of the earth, the thousands of angels listening. See Revelation 4:10-11 and Revelation 14:3. Most of all to see Jesus! What a day that will be!

God created us as spiritual beings, with a soul that desires to return to his maker. His Word tells us we have a natural body and a spiritual body. Our earthly body is of the earth, but our spiritual body is of the Lord of heaven and bears the image of the heavenly. The heavenly part of us wants to return to his maker, from where it came. Read 1 Corinthians 15:44-57.

One cloudy, misty morning, not so long ago, we were looking out over the Gulf of Mexico, as the sun tried to burn through the mist. There between the water and the mist appeared a glowing line of light, growing brighter and brighter. I wondered; could this be the Lord returning? I assume there was a hole in the clouds behind the wall of mist and fog, which was causing the glow. Is that what it will be like? Will it slip silently up on us without us knowing it? God’s Word indicates that it will come as a thief in the night,1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, but it also says that there will be angels with a great sound of a trumpet,  declaring that time shall be no more. Matthew 24:31 The beginning of eternity. 2 Peter 3:10 We must be ready, for Heaven may be closer than we think!

May we all strive to make seeing heaven a reality someday.

(Scripture references are links to KJV Online Bible.)