Spiritual Direction
While Heaven is our ultimate home, eternal life begins when we believe in Jesus. A transforming friendship with Jesus immerses us in the very stuff of eternity. Our here-and-now lives become a prelude to life beyond death. Like Adam, we lost our wholeness; in Jesus, we experience the beginnings of wholeness restored. Perhaps the desire for transcendent mystery, beauty, truth, and belonging is our memory longing for what was. . .and will be.
The Gospel of John presents Heaven like an industrial kitchen door that swings both ways. Jesus says that Heaven awaits beyond this life: “In my Father’s house are many rooms (dwelling places). . . I am going there to prepare a place for you. . .“[1] Yet, a few verses later, he remarks, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home (dwelling place) with them.”[2]
“Dwelling place” is used only two times in the New Testament. It’s as if God wrote it on both sides of the ‘door’ to remind us that eternity is both now and then.
Exploring
We cannot anticipate or desire what we cannot imagine. When I anticipate my first glimpse of Heaven, I remember the first time I went snorkeling. I saw countless fish of every shape, size, and color. And just when I thought I’d seen the most beautiful fish, along came another even more striking. Etched in my memory is a certain sound—the sound of a gasp going through my rubber snorkel as my eyes were opened to that breathtaking underwater world. I imagine our first glimpse of Heaven will cause us to similarly gasp in amazement and delight. That first gasp will likely be followed by many more as we continually encounter new sights in that endlessly wonderful place. And that will be just the beginning. . . And it will be far better than anything we’ve seen.[3]
Question
In what ways are you beginning to find your home in Jesus?
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John 14:2.
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John 14:23.
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Randy Alcorn, Heaven, 46.