When I know that my loved ones are coming home I begin to prepare for them. My son, Jonathan, loves barbecued spareribs on the grill and homemade apple pie. I prepare those things for him, so that when he walks through the door of the house he knows he was expected and welcome, because this is his home!
Considering how I prepare for my children when I know they are coming home, I love to think of the preparations God is making for my homecoming one day. He knows the colors I love, the scenery I enjoy, the things that make me happy. All these personal details will let me know when I walk into My Father’s House that I am expected and welcome because He has prepared it for me! And in the same way, He is preparing a glorious homecoming for you!
If the apostle John hasn’t already conveyed to us that My Father’s House is spectacular, his description of the streets surely does. But I wonder if there is a subtle message to us contained in his description – a message that my wise mother, with her characteristic humor, pointed out to me when she dryly exclaimed that you can tell what God thinks of gold because He paves the streets of heaven with it! Gold is really just heavenly asphalt! In other words, there are many things down here on earth that we give a top priority to, which in eternity will be inconsequential and insignificant.
It’s sobering to contemplate how much time, effort, sacrifice, compromise, and attention we give to acquiring and increasing our supply of something that is totally insignificant in eternity. What are your priorities? As you live them out, will they have eternal value and significance?
The Greek word for “temple” is, in this case, the same word used for the “Most Holy Place,” which was the inner sanctuary of the ancient Israelites’ tabernacle, and later the temple. It was the place where God was said to dwell. The high priest could only enter once a year to sprinkle the sacrificed animals’ blood on the mercy seat in order to make atonement for the sin of God’s people. The Book of Hebrews teaches us that today “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body” (Heb. 10:19-20, NIV). In other words, through the death and broken body of Jesus Christ on the Cross, you and I have been given access to the presence of God when we approach Him by faith in prayer.
In our heavenly home, we will not just have occasional access to the presence of God; we will live in His presence! For all eternity!
The streets of our heavenly home are not only made of pure gold but, amazingly and almost incomprehensibly, they are also described as being as transparent as glass. Surely gold that is polished until it looks like transparent glass would function as a mirror.
The Bible tells us that when we get to Heaven all of our sins and flaws will fall away, and we will be like Jesus. With our unique personalities and characteristics, every single one of us is going to perfectly reflect the character of Christ. And as we walk on streets that reflect like mirrors, every step we take and every move we make is going to bring glory to Him.
As wonderful as my loved ones are and as much as I miss them, they are not perfect! And if your loved ones are like mine, your relationship with them on earth has not been perfect either. To think of living forever in the same home with my brother would give one pause! But when we get to Heaven, the joy of seeing our loved ones once again is immeasurably increased when we realize that all of us will indeed be perfect! There will be no more . . .
disagreements or cross words,
hurt feelings or misunderstandings,
neglect or busyness,
interruptions or rivalry,
jealousy or pride,
selfishness or sin of any kind!
There will be nothing at all to mar our full enjoyment of being with our loved ones forever and ever!
