I just finished Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent and I have never been so jealous of a little boy! The story is about Todd’s son, who got a look into heaven during an emergency surgery when he was three years old. This little boy really went to heaven! He sat in Jesus’ lap, met his great grandfather, and had a sweet encounter with his unborn sister. He saw angels on guard against the evil one and got to peek at the battle of Armageddon and confirmed that Jesus is indeed victorious! Can you even imagine? A three year old, precious little boy saw these things with his own eyes. I am so incredibly jealous!
Since January my heart has longed for heaven like it never has before and this book just fueled the fire. Before starting Beth’s Moore’s study of the book of Daniel and getting a glimpse into prophecy and eschatology, I knew heaven was not just a reality, but also my eternal destiny. I knew that one day I would be knocking on the gates of heaven, but I had eternity to enjoy heaven, so why waste my time here on Earth thinking about it. How wrong I was!
This semester the reality of heaven had been heavy on heart. I feel like I have gotten the same look into the throne room of God that Daniel got in Chapter 7. If you have spent any extended period of time with me in the last few months you have endured one of my excited outbursts about the majesty of eternity or the extreme joy that will come with being face to face with the Ancient of Days. I typically follow these outbursts with an apology for getting so excited, but today I am going to stop apologizing! I AM EXCITED! There is no reason to apologize for the fact that I absolutely cannot contain my excitement for heaven. The Lord has blessed me with a sweet sweet eternal perspective and I will continue to cling to it day after day. I can not wait to be face to face with my maker, to see colors unknown, and to spend my days worshipping at my redeemer’s feet. I am truly homesick for eternity with my Heavenly Father.
But don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten where I am today. The Earth is still broken and hurting and still very much in need of a savior. This sweet longing for heaven has only given me an even greater eagerness for the lost. My Young Life girls, some members of my family, some of my dear friends and the least of these… I want them to know the splendor of heaven that I will one day know by sight, and not just by faith. More than heaven itself, I want them to know the Savior that sits in heaven eager to call them His. Longing to know them and love them and take away the ugly pain of this world and offer them life abundant.
Yes, I want to be in heaven with all my heart, but there is still too much hell to conquer on this Earth. So, lets wait patiently with our eyes fixed on the heavens and continue to fight for those who do not yet know Him.
Gosh, that was long! If you read the whole thing you're a champ!
"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth." - Colossians 3:1-2
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