Day 15 - Heaven, Our Real Home
Posted by Michael O'Neal
Hebrews 11:13, 16 (NLT)
13 All these faithful ones died without receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed the promises of God. They agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a heavenly city for them.
Over the last month, I’ve been reading a book titled Heaven, by Randy Alcorn. This book is helping me to think through questions like: Are you looking forward to heaven? What will we do in heaven? What will heaven look like? In the verses above, it’s clear that the people who live by faith are people who look beyond this earthly home and look forward to “a heavenly homeland.”
In 1952, a young swimmer named Florence Chadwick set out to swim from Catalina Island to the shore of mainland California (about 20 miles). Swimming conditions were not favorable. It was cold and chilly. It was so foggy that she could barely see the boats accompaning her. After swimming for 15 hours, she was physically and emotionally exhausted. Florence’s mother, who was in one of the boats surrounding her, knew that her daughter was close to the shore, and she encouraged her to keep going. Florence was so exhausted that she soon gave up and stopped swimming. As she climbed on one of the boats around her, she soon discovered that the shore was less than half a mile away. At a news conference the next day, she said: “All I could see was the fog. . . . I think if I could have seen the shore, I would have made it.” (from Alcorn’s book, 10-11)
As I read that story, I think about how conditions on this earth are not always favorable. Have you ever felt like you were in a “fog” because of the uncertainty in your life? Have you ever been physically or emotionally exhausted? If you are a Christ-follower, be encouraged that God has prepared a heavenly home for us. Be encouraged that heaven is a place where there will be no more sickness, or pain, or worry, or problems. Be encouraged that Jesus is waiting on that heavenly shore for us, where we will worship Him, serve Him, and party with friends for eternity! And as we’re all learning as we get older: Time on this earth passes very quickly. So that means that the shore is close, and the party will start soon!
PRAYER: ”Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me from my sin. Thank you for rescuing me from hell and reserving a place for me in heaven. There may be “fogs” in my life this week. I may get physically or emotionally exhausted this week. Please help me to look beyond my present conditions and look forward to the future you’ve secured for me. In the saving name of Jesus, Amen.”
POINT TO PONDER: Are you looking forward to heaven?
A little bonus for the devotional today, if you’re interested. The video of “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe:
August 20th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
I thank God everyday for helping see thru life’s “fog” and to keep my eye on the greater prize.
August 20th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
What a great posting. “If only” is the hardest of all doubts…”if only I had known” or “if only I had paid closer attention” or as talked about above, “if only I had pushed a little further.” Personally, I know I am not able to conquer the “if only’s” of life…it is through Him that I make it through each day, each hour, and each minute of doubt. It’s having faith in His plan for my life that I am able to let go of these questions and enjoy each blessing he gives. Even knowing that does not guarantee that I won’t wake up tomorrow morning and doubt something. It is our nature to do so, but it is our gift as Christians to not have to. I pray that I will be better at receiving His blessings and quicker to let go of the doubt that Satan puts in my mind.
Thank you for posting the video as well…it is one of my favorite songs and truly expresses that even imagination cannot prepare us for the awesome experience of meeting our Maker.
August 20th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Wow, how many times have I been quick to give up because I couldn’t see past the fog in my life. This was a great reminder to me that I shouldn’t be so quick to call it quits because I can’t see through the fog that surrounds my life because to shore line could actually be just yards away, and how great is it when we press through and make it to the shore.