A Home In Heaven Series

A Home In Heaven

In times such as this, we turn to the 23rd Psalm perhaps more often than any other part of the Bible. The 23rd Psalm speaks to us of God’s total care. It assures us that life is secure in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, who is also our caring Shepherd. The psalm also speaks to us of our pilgrimage through this world. “The Lord is my shepherd” - as we walk through the many valleys of the shadow of death, before we cone to the end of our journey. “The Lord is my shepherd” - when our way is dark with nameless dread and fears. “The Lord is my shepherd” - even when we might stand surrounded by enemies of every kind. The Lord is my shepherd.

I can imagine that the 23rd psalm made it easier for the apostle Paul to declare: “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, not things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:37-39). For you see Paul knew that the Lord was his shepherd.

Other passages of scripture that we may turn to in times like this may include the 14th chapter of John, which tells of our eternal home. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions” (v.2). This tells me that Heaven is a roomy place, a place for many to dwell. There is a place for you, and a place for me. A place for anyone who would chose to come. Isn’t that a wondrous thought, that when we get to Heaven there will be a reunion of those friends and relatives who have gone before us knowing Jesus Christ as their savior. What a glorious reunion that will be!

But the blessing of Heaven do not stop when we see our friends and family. For Heaven is where Jesus is! We remember and are comforted by our Lord’s words which say, “I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (V.3). Heaven is being in the presence of Jesus Christ.

There is an old hymn which we sometimes sing that is based on John chapter 14, it goes:

I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop,

In that bright land where we’ll never grow old;

And some day yonder;

We’ll never more wonder,

But walk the streets of purest gold.

Today we may be walking through one of those valleys of the shadow of death. But look just up ahead - do you see it? Just over the hilltop there is a mansion. It’s large and roomy. It’s not too much further - friends are there and the lights are on and Jesus is standing there waiting for us.