heaven – Page 2 – Be Still…

Hebrews 11:1-16 – Got Faith?

Read Hebrews 11:1-16

What a beautiful Chapter this will be to reflect on faith. We can’t help but be refreshed and renewed when we receive clarity like this! Before we can know if we’ve “got faith,” we need to understand what faith is. The Preacher does a great job here of clarifying that for us. How can you not have faith when you truly believe this statement. “By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

The Preacher also uses Old Testament heroes of faith to illustrate how faith works. We can take clues from their faithfulness and apply them to our lives. Which of these spoke to you the most? (1) giving back to God; (2) pleasing God; (3) seeking God; (4) listen to God even when it’s unpopular; (5) obeying God even when you don’t understand; and (6) confidently trusting God to keep his promises.

Hebrews 9:11-28 – What Jesus Did For You!

Read Hebrews 9:11-28

What was your reaction to this reading? Did you take note of some of the gems of truth the Preacher is sharing with us. It’s easy to let these words just whiz on past. Remember that what Jesus did, he did for you! Jesus “secured our redemption forever.”

The old covenant was good for external purity. In the new covenant, Jesus cleanses us on the inside as well. We now live in freedom to encounter and experience God without exhausting ourselves trying to be perfect by following the law. Paying attention to God’s law is not a bad thing, but we don’t want to let our striving to be perfect consume us and distract us from the importance of a worshipful relationship with God. The laws we want to follow are those affirmed in the New Testament (not the ceremonial laws).

Hebrews 9:1-10 – Tradition

Read Hebrews 9:1-10

The Preacher is connecting some dots as he takes us on this historical tour. He portrays the Holy Place and Most Holy Place in a way we imagine quite clearly. He wants us to understand the ways of the old covenant. We are told exactly what tradition expected in terms of the priests and their duties and responsibilities. The Most Holy Place was reserved for the High Priest, but you have been given a glimpse behind the curtain!

This passage made me think of a song by the group Kutless called “Take Me In.” Listen here. Lord, I want to see your face. I hunger and thirst for your righteousness. These lyrics from the song put us in the perfect place to worship God, don’t you agree? Such reverence! We all long to see Jesus face to face and, in the meantime, crave his righteousness. When we can enter our time of worship with such devotion, we become open to receiving the Spirit and hearing the word of God so much better.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 – What Happens After We Die?

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Blue sky, clouds, sun illuminating the cross in the sky

We die. Then what? For those who believe God’s Word, we have an assurance of something much greater than we can even comprehend. I’m not so sure we’ll meet St. Peter at the pearly gates and be asked questions for admittance as we often see depicted in cartoons. Our text today gives us a glimpse of what will happen to those who have died when Jesus returns.

I listened to a wonderful interview of Joni Eareckson Tada about heaven. In case you’re not familiar with Joni, she’s been a paraplegic for over fifty years following a spinal cord injury as a young girl. I have always admired her and hope to meet her one day. Her faith is so inspiring. I put a link to that interview in my Facebook group, Reflections-Devos on the Go.

Revelation 21:9-27 – Holy City of God

Read Revelation 21:9-27

We have probably all heard a joke or two about the “pearly gates” of heaven. You might even remember how St. Peter is said to be standing there as the gatekeeper. Now you know where this picture comes from and how totally off base the description truly is. There are actually twelve gates, not one, and all of the apostles have a place in the foundation, not just Peter. But at least people are talking about heaven, even if only in “jest.”

God is preparing a beautiful place for us. The magnificence defies description. While the dimensions were meant to be symbolic, they are given in great detail. What we do see may have been lost in the translation. Each measurement represents a multiple of 12. You will recall that in the Bible the number 12 represents God’s people. First there are the 12 tribes, then the 12 apostles of the Lamb. The Holy City of God beautifully represents the people who have stayed true. There are even 12 precious gems adorning the city. It is a magnificent place for God’s people to dwell, and the size will be just perfect.