Click to Revelation 21:1-5
When you think about heaven, I hope that what comes to mind is not images of people floating around on clouds and playing harps or an eternity of sitting in hard church pews singing out of a hymnal. The kingdom of heaven will be anything but boring! The Bible speaks of a real kingdom on a restored earth where there are real people, real work, real play, real adventure, real life, and a real king. Everything that we long for in this life, everything that could give us satisfaction, joy, and rest is waiting for us in the restored kingdom.
God pulled back the curtain and gave the apostle John a glimpse of what the kingdom will be like:
In the kingdom, everything is always new (v. 5). The original Greek words used seem to imply that God will be perpetually making everything new! How awesome is that?
In the kingdom, there will be a king (v. 3). God will be our king, and he will be with us, his sons and daughters, in a new way.
In the kingdom, we will never be in want (v. 7). Our hearts will be completely satisfied in all that God is for us and the kingdom he’s provided for us. We will never lack anything.
In the kingdom, there will be no more sin, or temptation, or consequences of sin (v. 4). That means there will be no more fear, shame, insecurity, broken relationships, pride, selfishness, pain, suffering, or death!
When we “grab on” to Jesus, our troubles don’t melt away. We still live with a sin nature in a broken world. We still experience the effects of the curse of sin like loved ones who get sick, broken systems, injustice, poverty, and disharmony. Let’s remember on this final day of Lent, that we’re all longing for the final rescue that only God can provide. It’s just that right now, we’re in the middle pages of the story. Tomorrow on Easter, we celebrate the confident hope we have for a beautiful ending. The one who walked out of the tomb will have the last word!
Holy Spirit, give me a real desire for and a proper hope for heaven. Until you return, or take me to you, give me the strength to live and love in light of that hope.
