Planet earth is, at the very least, thousands of years old. Some think it may be millions or billions of years old. And it is showing signs of age. It is getting frayed and worn out. It is being polluted, gouged, stripped, burned, and poisoned, and much of the damage has been willfully and selfishly inflicted by man. But some of the scars are simply due to the wear and tear of age. It was not created to last forever!
In contrast, our heavenly home is going to be brand-new. Not just restored, but created fresh.
What scars of sin or stains of guilt do you bear in your life? . . . in your emotions? in your personality? in your relationships? in your memories? Like planet earth, do you feel abused and gouged and worn out and burned by other people? One day there will be no more scars. Everything – including your heart, mind, emotions, psyche, and memories, past, present, and future – will be made new.
Heaven is a big place! “In my Father’s house are many mansions” – room enough for anyone and everyone who chooses to be a member of God’s family! So please feel free to invite your entire family – including in-laws and out-laws,
every one of your friends,
all of your neighbors,
the total population of your city,
your state, your nation –
everybody in the whole wide world!
Heaven is a great big place where all are invited to come!
Following supper the night before He was to be crucified, Jesus unburdened His heart to His disciples. He knew He was going not only to the cross but, after the resurrection, back to His Father in heaven. His disciples would be like orphans. Had He taught them all they needed to know?
The disciples must have begun to sense His heavy burden. Without Jesus, how could they ever meet their own needs, much less the needs of the multitude? They had given Him their very lives for three years. How could they possibly manage without Him?
Jesus knew their fears. So He began to tell them how they would go on in His absence. He told them they could live, not just somehow, but triumphantly, because “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you . . . I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:18, 16, NIV, emphasis added). Jesus would remain with them, not physically, but in the invisible person of the Holy Spirit.
The Creator Who created all the earthly beauty we have grown to love . . .
the majestic snowcapped peaks of the Alps,
the rushing mountain streams,
the carpets of wildflowers,
the whir of a humming bird’s wings . . .
this is the same Creator who has prepared our heavenly home for us! If God could make the heavens and earth as beautiful as we think they are today – which includes thousands of years of wear and tear, corruption and pollution, sin and selfishness – can you imagine what the new Heaven and the new earth will look like? It will be much more glorious than any eyes have seen, any ears have heard, or any minds have ever conceived.
As a young girl I once saw an old black-and-white Cecil B. DeMille film on the life of Jesus, titled “King of Kings.” The film was very moving, and when I watched the crucifixion scene, I began to weep. I realized Jesus had died for me and that my sin had nailed Him to the cross. As a result, I confessed my sin to God and told Him I was sorry. I thanked Jesus for dying for my sin and asked God to forgive me. I told Him I believed Jesus had risen from the dead, and I invited Him to come live in my heart. I don’t remember any dramatic sensation afterward, but I knew my sin had been forgiven and I had been born again. That prayer began a love relationship with Jesus that is more real to me than any other. And I would like to share it with you…
