Wonderful Words of Life

Imagine having said something so profound or interesting that your quote could be found in a book or online. Imagine having pastors share your quote or people repeating it around the world. As I continue my series on quotes, I am grateful for ones who have had good insights on heaven. That will be my focus today. I’ve mentioned before that I have quoted Billy Graham in funerals. As a hospice chaplain I often point people towards heaven. It is easy to want to hold on to this life and enjoy the blessings of earth. But certainly, as I get older, I am letting go more of this temporal life and looking ahead to being home one day.

C.S. Lewis is one who has been quoted a tremendous amount for decades. He wrote, “The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.” In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon talks a lot about yearning for and pursuing things that we think earth can supply. They prove to be vanity or empty. We know that something far better awaits and when we are in heaven we will be truly satisfied as we serve Jesus and see him face to face. Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God (Revelation 21:3).

“God is our portion, Christ our companion, the Spirit our Comforter, Earth our lodge, and Heaven is our home.” This rich quote from Charles Spurgeon speaks of this life and the next. God is enough. Jesus is with us. The Spirit helps us. And we can be grateful that this wonderful earth is provided for us as we live in the temporary. That is why he calls it a lodge. It’s certainly a nice place to stay but it isn’t permanent. Our home is heaven, and we should keep that in perspective as we long to be there one day. I would rather go the route of Jesus coming back soon. But even if physical death takes me first, I will be home.

Leave it to a Holocaust survivor to have a great perspective on eternal life. Corrie Ten Boom wisely said, “You know, eternal life does not start when we go to heaven. It starts the moment you reach out to Jesus. He never turns His back on anyone. And He is waiting for you...” Jesus is waiting for people to repent and come to him for salvation. When the person does that, eternal life begins. We should live with that heaven-minded perspective. Jesus is also waiting for us to welcome us into heaven and hopefully we will hear the words from Matthew 25:23. Well done, good and faithful servant.

Pastor John Piper wrote, “The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God.” While it is nice to think about streets of gold, pearly gates, and the absence of pain and death, sharing the good news about Jesus is for the purpose of them having peace with God. Heaven is where God dwells and our focus will be his presence and serving him for eternity. We don’t know what that looks like exactly, but it is a reward that we look forward to. So, when we share the gospel there is the element of wanting to avoid hell and going to an amazing place. But the best part is that we will be going to see Jesus and in the presence of God.

I spent time today with a dear Christian lady who is likely near the end of life. As her daughter and I discussed the life she lived in service to the Lord, her child was tearful but knew that her mom was tired. Her heart was already in heaven, and she longed to be there. D.L. Moody said, “We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within speaking distance to those who belong there. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.” Heaven should never seem too far off. When we belong there, we should be preparing to go there. After all, Jesus has been preparing it for us for quite a while. My father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I’m going there to prepare a place for you (John 14:2). Joe Lewis stated, “Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”. While the first half of his statement is correct, I have known several people who loved God and got to the point where they did want to die and see that perfect, prepared place.

The Beatles were famous and famously lost. They studied eastern religions in their search for peace and fulfillment. Lots of false teaching exists in their music. George Harrison said, “You go on being reincarnated until you reach the actual Truth. Heaven and Hell are just a state of mind. We are all here to become Christ-like. The actual world is an illusion.” Hey Dude, that’s very bad. The Bible teaches that we die once and then face judgment. Heaven and hell are physical places. The world is as real and corrupted as it gets. That’s why we need a better country, by far. He is right about becoming Christ-like. Only Christians can do that. Those are the ones who know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is the only way to the father and to heaven.

I close with this quote from a singer of this generation who sings about life from a biblical perspective. Lecrae states, “We celebrate our intelligence, possessions, looks, talent, and achievements. Heaven celebrates how we used all of it.” Use all you have for the glory of God as long as you can. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.