Heaven

When we were children, our mother used to tell us stories about heaven. I had a very vivid imagination and would often close my eyes and picture myself wandering the streets of gold as she spoke. I imagined beautiful gardens and endless fields of flowers. I imagined cities with the grand, beautiful homes we had seen while traveling. It was a dreamy place to visit in my childlike mind. I often wondered why we must wait a lifetime to experience such a wonderful place.

As I grew older, my visions of heaven changed and matured from focusing on its appearance to its feeling. As I began to face the challenges and difficulties of adulthood and motherhood, I yearned for a place where there would be no more pain, tears, and sadness—a place of peace and endless joy. I frequently wonder why God would choose to make us wait until eternity to experience such bliss.

However, as I delved deeper into God's word, my understanding of heaven evolved yet again. I discovered that Jesus, too, shared stories of the kingdom of heaven, and people also began to imagine what it would be like. Like me, many initially imagined it to be far away and unattainable, something to be experienced only in the distant future.

In Luke 14, there is a story about Jesus being invited to a dinner where he was teaching. During the dinner, one of the guests spoke out and said, "Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." This guest was projecting the feast to a future day.

However, Jesus immediately responded with a parable about a man who prepared a feast and invited many guests. The man sent his servants to tell those invited to "Come, for everything is now ready" (Luke 14:16 NIV). Notice how Jesus used the words "come" and "now". Jesus was emphasizing that the feast was ready to be enjoyed in the present moment.

Jesus extends a personal invitation to each of us to come now and enjoy everything he has prepared for us. By seeking him, we can experience endless peace even amid hardship. When we enter his presence, he offers to wipe every tear from our eyes and provide us with the comfort we need. He gives us joy that overflows above our present circumstances. As the psalmist of the Old Testament discovered, God's presence is experiencing heaven on earth.

Whom do I have in heaven but you? And with you, I desire nothing on earth. (Ps. 73:25 NASB)