Heaven, Our Blessed Hope
Dr. Valson Abraham
We live in an age of trouble. Wherever we look, we hear of heart ailments. Millions of people die of heart ailments. A cause of heart disease is stress. We read in the newspapers about terrorism, war, violence, and starvation. This adds more stress to people’s lives.
We also experience job and family stress. We also borrow trouble. We imagine things worse than they are. One English poet wrote, “Imaginary grievances have always been my torment more than real ones”.
My children hate to go to the dentist. The actual time in the dentist’s chair causes less anxiety than the hours before.
The Lord Jesus Christ said in John’s gospel, chapter 14 verse 1, “Let not your heart be troubled.” He means “Don’t let your heart shudder.” Jesus gives us a prescription.
“Believe in God, believe also in me”.
The way to an untroubled heart is to believe in God and in Jesus Christ whom God sent.
“For God so loves the world, “the Bible says, “that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes on him (meaning Jesus Christ) will not perish but will have eternal life.”
This passage literally says, “Keep on believing in God, and keep on believing in me,” referring to Jesus Christ. Jesus wanted his disciples to believe in him and in his Father, God the Father, who sent him.
What are we to believe? In the following verses we read, “In my father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you.”
All of us long for heaven. We long for a better place with no sickness, sorrow, grief, or separation, where there is joy, plenty, and bliss. Here, Jesus says, if you want a trouble-free heart, believe in me and believe in God. Also believe that God is preparing an eternal place for you.
You have a longing for a better place. Whether you live in a big mansion, own a thousand acres of land, or live in the slum, you long for heaven.
A great writer named C. S. Lewis writes of this inconsolable longing for heaven. He says, “There have been times when I think we do not desire heaven, but more often I find myself wondering whether in our hearts of hearts we have ever desired anything else. It is a secret signature of each soul, the incommunicable and unappeasable want, the thing we desired before we met our wives, or made our friends, or chose our work, and which we will still desire on our deathbeds when the mind no longer knows wife, or friend, or work.” But the last two sentences are important–“which we shall still desire on our death-beds when the mind no longer knows wife, or friend or work.”
Whether you know it or not, you long for a place with the one who made you, and that is Jesus Christ. We all long for heaven.
Jesus tells us how our unsatisfied longings will be fulfilled. He says, “In my father’s house are many dwelling places.” There is a permanent dwelling place for us. This fact gives us comfort in trouble.
Psychologists tell us that if we did not experience a secure home and place of love as children, it is likely we will never feel at home in this life, even though we have all the comforts of life.
Jesus tells us there is an eternal place for us. God is building that place. Jesus has prepared that place for you. When you know down deep that he has prepared that place for you, it brings rest to your soul even in a troubled world.
Apostle Paul, who followed Jesus Christ once persecuted Christ and his church. Later, he was converted to Jesus Christ. He received the blessing of forgiveness.
After he followed Christ, he had a vision. Actually, we do not know if it was a vision or a physical experience. But he experienced certain realities. He was caught up to a place called “heaven.”
He saw and heard things that he could not express.
This was the place that Christ had prepared. He faced his troubles knowing that his real home was in heaven.
He said, “My citizenship is in heaven for which I eagerly wait for my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
During times of trouble, the reality that you Creator has prepared heaven for you brings security. What a joy to know that you have a future home waiting for you.
Not only this, but Je3sus has promised that he is coming back for you. In verse 3, chapter 14, he says, “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I there you may be also”.
My friend, our comfort is not only heaven but Jesus Christ. We will enjoy his presence. Notice, he says, “I am coming again.”
In the New Testament there are 318 references to this return of Jesus Christ. He will come back for those who put their trust in him. He will take us to be with him, and we will see him face to face.
My friend, this is a very comforting passage, a word that Jesus Christ has spoken. Believe completely in Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “And you know the way where I am going .” One of his disciples, Thomas, did not understand, and he asked, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how do we know the way?” Jesus responded, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father but through me.”
My friend, when you have troubled hearts, remember: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
You may experience difficulty with your daughter or son, your work or business. Sometimes, life seems to fall apart, we face attacks, and we do not know where to turn.
But in your dark hour, hear Jesus say, “Let not your heart be troubled, Believe in God, believe also in Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ has prepared a place for you. Put your trust in him, and he will come back to receive you in your permanent home called heaven.
You will not only know reward, bliss, happiness and joy, but you will also rejoice in the presence of Jesus Christ, the one who loved and died for you, and who is the Lord of all.
My friend, will you put your trust in Jesus Christ? Will you believe in him? If so, pray this prayer with me.
Lord Jesus, I thank you for coming to reveal the love of God to me. I believe you have gone to prepare a place for me in heaven. I put my trust in you. Cleanse me of my sin and make me your child. Lord Jesus, be the Lord of my life. Amen.”
