"H"eaven

I'm sure each of us has our own thoughts on what heaven will look like.  Yes, I know, God has laid out a marvelous visual in Revelation.  But, do you ever just sit and ponder what it will be like when you walk through those gates?

Everyone suffers loss in their life and most recently, I've lost my Grandmother.  There are days that the grief still feels so fresh that my heart hurts and tears roll down my cheeks.  On those sadder days, I try to envision what she must be experiencing.  Who was there at the gates to greet her?  Who did she hug first?  What is she up to?  Is she with my Grampa?  What does she look like? 

God has told us that when we get to heaven, we will have no more pain, no more sorrow, none.  And we will look our finest.  I like to picture my Grandparents in their early years of marriage.  My Grampa with a full head of hair, my Gramma with one of those fancy hairstyles.   And neither of them is hurting anymore.  They are whole and healthy.  Oh man!  That alone brings my heart such joy!

Heartache and grief is part of life but it seems much less painful when we can picture a place full of love and joy.  Jesus has told us, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  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.  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." John 14:1-3 KJV

Our Father's house has many mansions, many rooms and they are being prepared for us as we sit here in this world.  This world is not our home, praise the Lord!  If you are a believer, you know that the grave is not the end but the beginning to a new world with Jesus. 

Oh the party they must have in heaven every time a believer is welcomed home.  Can you just imagine what it must be like to see Jesus for the first time.  And all our loved ones that have gone before us, they are there with Him now.  Oh what a sweet moment.

Our hope and our future are firmly secured and placed in heaven.  We are heirs to Christ and promised eternal salvation with Him.  Nothing can take away that inheritance.  Nothing.  It's not anything we've earned but something we have been given through Jesus' death on the cross for each of us.

Physical death may separate us from those we love but we need to remember, it is only temporary.  One day, when it is our time, we will step through those gates and see them again.  We will see our loved ones and they will look spectacular. 

I wasn't with my Gramma when she passed away a few months ago.  I wasn't there to hold her hand or see her face as she began to see Jesus welcoming her home but, I remember what she shared with me about my Grampa when he passed away.  Grampa had been silent for days.  No words, eyes closed.  And just before he passed, his face relaxed and he looked happy.  Gramma said she knew the moment Grampa had seen his first glimpse of Jesus because Grampa's face told of the excitement and anticipation of heaven.  I think that my Gramma had that same relaxed and happy face.  She knew what was waiting for her on the other side and in an instant, she left this world and was home.  That, that makes my heart happy.  And because of the legacy of Jesus that she has left behind, I know that I will walk hand in hand with her once again.

Heaven seems miles away but it's our home.  Our citizenship is in heaven, "Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven". Matthew 5:12  Jesus has promised to come back for us.  We don't know when, but we do know that God knows all the plans for each of us and He alone knows when we will be with him again in heaven. 

Some days I wish I could have been at my Gramma's side when she drew her last breath.  If I had been, I think I would have told her how excited I was that she was going home.  Gloria Gaither has a quote that fits so well with what I think Jesus said to my Gramma.  "One of these days, our Father will scoop us up in His strong arms and we will hear Him say those sweet and comforting words,"Come on, child.  We're going home.""   And I can see my Gramma smiling.  One of those big, larger than life smiles. 

This world is where we are today but friends, the best is yet to come.  Can you just imagine?