What Makes Heaven... Heaven?
Monday, January 15, 2024
“This is the sum and substance of heaven; this is the joyful hope of all believers.” – C.H. Spurgeon
In school, I wasn’t bad in math, I just never liked it. Once I got past addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and fractions, I couldn’t figure what practical purposes I would have for learning algebra and geometry, let alone trigonometry and calculus.
And so, when Charles Spurgeon used a mathematical term such as “sum” to describe heaven, I wondered to what the “Prince of Preachers” was referring. Reading the rest of his quote in its full context, I soon discovered the answer.
It’s Jesus!
Simply put, meeting Jesus, seeing Him face-to-face, and encountering His presence first-hand will be the most incredible and mind-blowing experience of our lives. Best of all, He is ours to worship and enjoy for all eternity!
He is what makes heaven… well, heaven. Our risen Savior, who loved us so much that He willingly and voluntarily laid down His life on the cross as payment for our sins, will be the fulfillment of every want or dream we’ve ever had.
Perhaps no one put it better than our patriarch, Job. In the midst of his physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological trials, he found immense comfort in the knowledge that someday He would stand (and kneel) in His Savior’s presence. Here is how he put it, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit…
“But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27 (BSB)
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see Jesus. In the meantime, I plan to love and serve Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37).
- Rev. Dale M. Glading
P.S. Happy Birthday to my beautiful bride!
