But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:16)

The Greatest Desire

Life can be filled with many challenges that overwhelm the heart. Disease, death, loss, and uncertainty are not uncommon. Time marches on without relief. It matters little how man tries to retain youth and vigor; age diminishes the body and mind. Many have tried to find ways to cheat death, prolong years, and maintain vibrant youth in aging bodies with no success. God has determined the habitation of man’s existence. That will never change. Adam and Eve were created as failed creatures that would die. The reason death reigns on the earth is because sin removed man from the Tree of Life. Science may have given answers to why the body decays and dies, but men still suffer disease and death.

The soul of man can become discouraged by the overwhelming burdens of life. Throughout history, the world has tried to find answers to cope with the challenges of life. Some seek refuge in pleasures, drugs, and alcohol. Many believe wealth will bring them happiness. A man will go through numerous marriages seeking fulfillment and finding none. Denying the trials of life will not remove the burden. What can man do to find peace and happiness in this world? The answer lies in the promises of God in another world, a place beyond the vale of death. Hope comes when the heart of man turns his desire to eternal things.

Sin changed the world to be a place of suffering and loss. God sent His Son to offer the world an answer to find peace and joy. People of God have a different view of life because of the promises of God. When a man comes to know God and understands life’s challenges in view of God’s eternal plan, he finds a peace that passes all understanding. What happens in the heart of those who trust in the Lord is a desire to live in a heavenly country. The eye of faith no longer seeks fulfillment in this life, but the joys of eternal life yet realized. A desire to serve God, to be found pleasing before Him, and to receive an eternal reward promised by a loving Father is how the heart is changed.

The nature of a godly person is the firm desire to live in a better world. Finding a better world cannot be done in this life. Pleasures, wealth, and wisdom never last and can never bring true joy. When the heart turns to God, seeking an eternal home, life becomes a trial of joy. The heart desires to live in a better place, that is, a heavenly country. There is a city prepared by God to receive those who change their desire from this world to eternal life. Desiring a better world brings change in the life of the child of God. To desire a better world is to live so as to be found pleasing before the Lord. Faith motivates the heart to seek the will of the Father. Then, and only then, can life be viewed in its proper form. Life is short, but eternity is forever. Our desire should, first and foremost, be found faithful so that we can enjoy the desire to leave this world for our heavenly home. Where is your desire? What makes you full of joy? Don’t let the trinkets of this world take your heart away from God. He has prepared a place – a city – for you. Desire it. Long for it. Live for it.