Saturday, January 14, 2017
A Longing for Heaven
I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.—Philippians 1:23
Have you ever been homesick? Maybe you were in a really beautiful place. But as they say, there’s no place like home.
I think I’m becoming more of a homebody as I get older. As you get a little older, you start to like things a certain way. No matter where you are, it’s never quite like home.
There’s a home waiting for every child of God, a home we all should be homesick for. It’s the future destination of all believers, and it’s called heaven. And though we have never been to heaven, we still have something God has built within us that gives us this homesickness, this desire to be there.
Have you ever had one of those moments when everything seemed just perfect, as though it came straight out of a movie? Maybe it was an amazing sunset, a perfect star-filled night, or a special moment with someone you love. You thought, “This is so great. I want my entire life to be exactly like this moment.”
In a limited sense you had a glimpse of eternity. You had a taste of what is ahead, something that is perfect, flawless. But you can’t experience it on this earth. And until that day, you always will be a little bit homesick for heaven.
I love the way the apostle Paul put it when he wrote, “I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.” (Philippians 1:23–24).
When Jesus Christ is at the forefront of your life, you can live a life that is rich and full on this earth and know that beyond the grave, there is something better: that wonderful place called heaven.
Dig Deeper:
Greg’s Radio Program
“A New Beginning”
This Week’s TV Program
“God’s Plan for Sex and Marriage”
Weekend Bible Reading
Genesis 34-36; Luke 14; Genesis 37-38; Psalm 7; Luke 15
Used by permission from Harvest Ministries with Greg Laurie, PO Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514.