Longing for Home
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ”
Philippians 3:20 NKJV
If our citizenship is in Heaven, shouldn’t we desire to learn more about it? How can we long for a place we know so little about?
The Bible mentions three heavens. The first heaven is the sky, where the birds fly. The second is space, where the stars and galaxies exist. God is in the third Heaven. In 2 Cor 12:2-4 Paul references someone (which may have been himself) who visited “the third Heaven”, he calls paradise.
That is where we Christians will go when we die (see 2 Cor 5:8) and what we are referring to when we talk about Heaven. In their song, “I Can Only Imagine,” the band Mercy Me, encourages listeners to imagine what it will be like to be with God in Heaven. God has given us glimpses into Heaven through Scripture and, like Paul did, we can also consider the testimonies of those who have claimed to have visited Heaven.
At a conference I heard psychologist, J.P. Moreland speak about near-death experiences (NDEs). He shared detailed stories about the things people saw and heard while they were separated from their bodies and showed no brain activity. The consistent similarities within these testimonies, regardless of religious or intellectual backgrounds, convinced him beyond a reasonable doubt that Heaven is a real place.
It's estimated there are hundreds of millions of NDEs. NDEs have been experienced by Christians, Atheists, Hindus, Muslims, scientists, intellectuals, and young children without preconceived notions. While their interpretations may vary, the descriptions of what they saw, heard, and felt are strikingly similar.
Those who describe visiting Heaven often speak of experiencing the attributes of God in overwhelming abundance—far beyond anything they’ve ever felt on Earth. God is light (1 John 1:5) and love (1 John 4:8), and many describe intense light with colors they’ve never seen and feeling love beyond comprehension. They also speak of an overwhelming peace (Philippians 4:7), rest (Hebrews 4:9), comfort (Psalm 23:4), strength (1 Chronicles 29:12), and joy (Galatians 5:22).
In contrast, those who describe hellish experiences often report an absence of all these qualities, including a total separation from God and overwhelming suffering. The good and bad of life on Earth is only a taste of what’s to come.
Recognizing that Heaven is a real place has prompted me to reflect and ask: What would it be like to live for Heaven now?
From Scripture, we find that we can store up treasure there (Matthew 6:20) by giving of our time and money. We can also invite others into God’s family.
There was a gentleman who handed out gospel tracts in front of his business for decades, doing so for the first ten minutes of each day. He asked them, “If you died today would you go to Heaven?” He never saw results. But one day, a pastor tracked him down and shared how many people in his church came to Christ because of those tracts and that question. This gentleman’s faithfulness had a much greater impact than he could have ever imagined.
Over the years, I’ve tried various ways to share the truth of God and the reality of Heaven. I’ve written blog posts, shared on social media, made YouTube videos, and even created gospel-themed card tricks for people on Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. I’m not sure how many people I’ve influenced, but I continue sharing, loving, and serving others to help them experience the love of Jesus Christ, trusting that God is using my obedience, even when I can’t see the fruit.
God can use our faithfulness and obedience to transform the lives of others. We may not see the results on this side of Heaven, but we can continue to share the Good News with eternity in view.
What can you do today to live with Heaven in mind?