We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. (Colossians 1:3-5)

The Hope Of Heaven

If life were nothing more than a futile exercise of so many years and then death; with no promise or hope of anything beyond – what would be the point of living? The world can be a harsh climate of pain and suffering. There are good days and there are times of despair. Youth is the spirit of a never-ending life, with old age a realization of the brevity of life. There are injustices filling the canvas of the toils of this earth where some are blessed and others never find joy. The young can die (and do) and the old must die. For many, life is a brief experience of living with all the gusto that one can get out of life and dying with little to care for. There can be a pointless existence in how people approach their lives and find little comfort or joy.

Renewing a hope of heaven will change a person’s life in ways he could never find in the futility of human wisdom. Sadly, many Christians live mediocre lives, seldom thinking about heaven. Eternal life is the answer to life. There is nothing to live for if a man only exists on earth, dies and that is all. What would be the purpose of life? Why have any joy? Where would the value of life be found? Heaven changes everything. It gives hope that there is something to hope for, long for, and live for in the face of a harsh world. A hopeless life rejects the idea of a loving and compassionate Father who sent His only begotten Son to open an avenue of hope in eternal life. Who has the greater life – the man who rejects God or the man who embraces the hope of God.

Heaven is not just a place to be; it is a place to long for. Whenever eternal life is achieved, everything in life will be forgotten. Death is not a final moment but a beginning point when the true value of life is realized. God created man as an eternal being housed in a mortal frame. Man does not possess a soul – he is a soul. The earthly frame of flesh is but a temporary tabernacle that begins to decay the moment it is born. Living one hundred years is by all testimony from those who achieve the centenarian mark nothing but a vapor. Methuselah lived to be 969 years and he died – so what? Life is not about the number of years lived but the realization there is life after death and the joy of Heaven is what makes living hopeful.

Many things can discourage the soul if life on earth is all there is. Renewing a spirit of hope in the promise of eternal life changes the outlook of life to be something bright and joyful. Heaven is a prepared place for those preparing to be in a world of eternal promise. Suffering is lessened, failures are overcome, and the trials of life only strengthen the resolve to receive that heavenly promise. Thinking about heaven comes from prayer. Faith is built up when learning about eternal life. Love is found in the bond of saints united in the eternal cause. The hope which is laid up in heaven fills the soul with the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Reading the word of the truth of the gospel of peace describes a place called Heaven. It is real. God has prepared it. Jesus died to make it possible. Heaven awaits those who look beyond this world for something that is indescribable. Lord Jesus, come quickly.