An Insightful Moment in the Upper Room (John 14:1-3)

The Good Shepherd's Cottage

"The Good Shepherd's Cottage" is an allegory in paint, an image of the Lord returning to call His faithful. His house is an utterly comfortable and secure cottage, radiant with light. The air is luminous with sunset; the sound of His voice thrilling as He calls His sheep into a verdant meadow."

— Thomas Kinkade

Speaking of images of homes, I've always liked the paintings of Thomas Kinkade because he paints his windows lighted. I read something by him one time and he said he did it because when he was young and coming home from school, he loved the homes that were lit up because their moms were home. He came home to a dark home because his mother worked.

According to Jesus, heaven is a real place. It is not a product of religious imagination or the result of a psyched-up mentality, looking for "pie in the sky by and by." Heaven is the place where God dwells and where Jesus sits today at the right hand of the Father. Heaven is described as a kingdom (2 Peter 1:11), and inheritance (1 Peter 1:4), a country (Heb. 11:16), a city (Heb. 11:16), and a home (John 14:2).

Heaven is "My Father's House," according to the Son of God. It is "home" for God's children! Wasn't it the poet Robert Frost who said that home is the place that, when you arrive there, they have to take you in?

Are you looking forward to Heaven? It's really sad for me when I find people (Christians) who are not excited about Heaven. It illustrates to me Satan's power to mold our weak minds as we are trapped in a dark, fallen world. So often, we are prone to deny the great realities of God and heaven, which we can longer see because of the Curse.

We fail to take seriously what Scripture tells us about heaven as a familiar, physical, tangible place. I praise God that He has given us glimpses of heaven in His Word and, hopefully, it fires up our imaginations and kindles a desire for heaven in our hearts. Of course, don't be surprised that Satan will always discourage our imagination or misdirect it to ethereal notions that violate Scripture. We need to fuel our imagination with Scripture.

We should be open to asking God to help remove our blinders of our preconceived ideas about heaven so we have a greater understanding of Scripture. So often we read Scripture through our own notions already set instead of coming to the Scripture and really reading what it says. The apostle Paul said, "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this" (2 Timothy 2:7). It helps me to pray, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law" (Psalm 119:18).

If I can't believe what Jesus says about heaven then how could I possibly believe what He says about eternal life? Conversely, if you believe Christ for your eternal destiny, why not believe what He says about heaven? When the time finally comes, we will be with the person we were made for, in the place we were made to be. I believe that God tells us about heaven in His Word so we can understand and anticipate what awaits for us.

Jphn 14:3 is a clear promise of our Lord's return for His people. Some will go to heaven through the valley of the shadow of death, but those who are alive when Jesus returns will never see death (John 11:25-26). They will be changed to be like Christ and will go to heaven (1 Thes. 4:13-18).

Since heaven is the Father's house, it must be a place of love and joy. When the apostle John tried to describe heaven, he almost ran out of symbols and comparsions (Rev. 21-22)! Finally, he listed the things that would not be there: death, sorrow, crying, pain, night, etc. What a wonderful home it will be...and, we will enjoy it forever!!!

"For heaven is everything our heart of hearts has searched for, yearned for, ached for. And more." Gire, pg. 322.

"Us with Jesus. Together, forever." Gire, pg. 322.