Click above to stream Longing for Heavenly Country from my 10th album Climb to the Sky as you read. I am also including the music video at the bottom, so you can use for additional reflection if you like.
What does “heavenly country” make you think of?
With our U.S. Thanksgiving holiday approaching, along with autumn colors and cool air, November brings a season of harvest and reminds us to count life’s blessings. Each of us has the universal challenge of quieting life’s noise and distractions enough to pause and give thanks, and to experience more moments of peace and contentment.
Inspired by the song Longing for Heavenly Country, I began to think about heaven, and how setting our thoughts on things above can bring a harvest of blessings to us now — during life on earth — as well as to our future. Along with the music track and video, I hope you will reflect on “5 Things to Know About Heaven” (from Scripture and C.S. Lewis) to increase your peace, joy, and contentment now, and in the days to come.
1. Heaven is a Real Place.
The word “heaven” appears in the Bible 622 times. If we believe by faith, here are two of many encouraging verses about heaven being a real place…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” — Genesis 1:1 (NIV)
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” — John 14:1-3 (NIV)
2. Heaven is Our True Home.
“The fact that our heart yearns for something Earth can’t supply is proof that Heaven must be our home.” — C.S. Lewis
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…” — Philippians 3:20 (NIV)
“But our homeland is in heaven, where our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is; and we are looking forward to his return from there.” — Philippians 3:20 (TLB)
3. Heaven is a Better Country.
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” — C.S. Lewis
The passage below is from Hebrews 11, known as the “Hall of Faith,” from the many Bible characters named in this chapter.
“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” — Hebrews 11:13-16 (NIV)
4. God and Jesus Invite Us into Relationship from Heaven.
“The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.” — Psalm 14:2 (NIV)
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” — John 14:6 (NIV)
5. We Can Play a Part in Bringing Glimpses of Heaven to Earth.
“Joy is the serious business of heaven.” — C.S. Lewis
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16 (NIV)
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” — Matthew 6:9-10 (NIV)
Which of these encourages you the most right now?
The idea I need (we need) to “celebrate our obedience” more has been very redemptive in my life journey. I used to take things far too seriously, to be self critical, to be quietly judgmental of others, and to lack true joy. Since God celebrates our obedience as our loving and faithful Father, the idea is that we, along with our brothers and sisters in Christ, should celebrate our obedience more together. We should share our stories of God’s faithfulness with a spirit of celebration, instead of comparing the results of our obedience, or questioning someone’s obedience. All of our obedience is pleasing to God. He does not measure on our earthly terms. As my good friend Ken Boa likes to say, “Our good works for God are like ‘refrigerator art’ to Him.” He loves us like we love a little child or grandchild’s coloring. With love, grace and joy, God smiles and puts our “drawings on His refrigerator.”