Children have a way of cutting to the heart of a matter, don’t they? A little girl was taking an evening walk with her father. Wonderingly, she looked up at the stars and exclaimed; “Oh, Daddy, if the wrong side of heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side be!”
I don’t know about you, but it is so easy for me to get caught up in the “here and now.” This present life has its own beauty and comfort, and sometimes causes me to lose focus of the glories of heaven and life eternal. But physical suffering, or the suffering of loved ones, brings this life into perspective with a clearer view. It makes one think of the streets of gold. The same is true of loss. When sorrow seems to overwhelm the soul, thoughts of heaven are ever present.
Paul wrote such comforting words to hurting Christians. He said, We do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Cor. 4:16-18).
John revealed some of the beauties of heaven when he said, He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain (Revelation 21:4). About this place he said, The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel (21:18-19). He said, And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb (21:23). John’s words give us a glimpse of heaven. But human words are simply inadequate to describe what God has prepared for us and what joy awaits us there. Let us never lose sight of the majesty and glory of the “right side” of heaven.
Today’s Verse: And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, (Revelation 22:1), And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb (22:23).
By Teresa Hampton