The Dream of Forever

Do you have a dream vacation destination? When my husband and I began discussing where we wanted to celebrate our twentieth anniversary, I skipped right past Mexico, Hawaii, and cruises around the Caribbean. When I thought about a dream vacation worthy of twenty years of marriage, I thought of Maine.

Why Maine? My husband asked the same question. For one thing, my internet searches provided my imagination with plenty of dreamy seascapes. I could almost feel the cool sea breeze blowing away the suffocating Alabama heat and humidity. Still, I couldn’t pinpoint the origins of my Maine mania. I’m not particularly fond of lobster bisque. I don’t have a fascination with lighthouses. It was a bit of a mystery to me. Had I read a compelling novel set in Maine? Maybe it was the news stories about the Bush family vacations in Kennebunkport. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why I had my heart set on Maine.

One day as I was searching for inns and hotels along the Maine coastline, an image of a harbor town caused a thirty-year-old memory to surface. I remembered lying on the shag carpet of my childhood home, watching similar images on the television screen. The soft, kind face of Angela Lansbury came into view. Murder She Wrote! That was it! I’d finally uncovered the source of my longtime dreams of Maine.

For nearly a decade, I spent every Sunday night watching Murder She Wrote with my parents. Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury, wrote murder mysteries on her typewriter and solved crimes on the side. She lived in the quaint harbor town of Cabot Cove, Maine. I had a ten-year catalog of fishing boats, docks and harbors, idyllic shops, and historic-looking inns built into my memory. After watching Jessica Fletcher walk the streets of Cabot Cove for so long, my writer-heart wanted to follow in her footsteps.

It’s not unusual for television series and movies to inspire tourism. Fans of The Walking Dead can take a zombie tour in Atlanta, Georgia, visiting filming locations as they hear behind-the-scenes stories about the show. Downton Abbey devotees can visit Highclere Castle, where the Crawley family drama went down. A few years ago I walked around Seaside, Florida, remembering scenes from The Truman Show—”Good morning, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!”

Immersing ourselves in a show, movie, or novel helps whet our appetite for a place. Likewise, what better way cold there be to prepare our hearts for eternity than by reading about it in God’s Word?

The Story of Forever

God began telling us the story of forever in the very beginning. The creation story gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to live in complete peace and perfect beauty. In the garden, Adam walked with God as a friend. God painted a picture of our transition from slavery to freedom with the exodus. We see visions of his glory in the Old Testament through prophets and men of God.

When Jesus began teaching, he told his followers what heaven is like:

“My Father’s home is designed to accommodate all of you. If there were not room for everyone, I would have told you that. I am going to make arrangements for your arrival. I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together.” (John 14:2–3 VOICE)
“Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20 NLT)
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.” (Matthew 25:31 NLT)

Of course, Revelation is the culmination of God’s story of heaven. Jesus shows John, one of his disciples, several visions of heaven. Describing what he saw in detail, John writes of walls made of jasper and a city made of gold so pure it appears to be glass. Topaz, emerald, and sapphire adorn the foundation. Revelation 21:23 says, “The city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (NLT).

Heaven is more than a beautiful place. John describes the emotional response to Jesus’ presence:

Day after day and night after night [living creatures] keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)
The twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne…and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.” (Revelation 4:10–11 NLT).
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13 NIV)

God promises to make everything right in heaven. What is broken will be fixed. Hurts will be healed. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:4 NLT). Not only will we enjoy splendid beauty and unending worship, but our hearts will finally be in perfect peace.

Does reading about heaven make you excited about going there one day? I must admit, little bumps rose on my arms as I thought about it just now. My finite mind can’t comprehend the splendor awaiting me in heaven, but spending time in God’s Word keeps my heart set on going there.

Lord, thank you for giving us a glimpse of heaven in the pages of your Holy Bible. Heaven is more than we can imagine. Thank you for providing a way for us to enjoy you in there forever through Jesus Christ. Because of his death and resurrection, we can be sure of our eternal destination. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17 NIV)

“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 22:3–5 NLT)

Reach for More

Imagine someone has gifted you a dream vacation with an unlimited number of guest tickets. Would you keep the news to yourself? Or would you start inviting everyone you love? Descriptions of heaven keep our hearts and eyes set on eternity, but they should also inspire us to invite others along. Consider your circle of friends and family. Who needs to hear about heaven today? Begin praying earnestly for them and seeking opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with them.

Kelly Smith is a small town girl who married a small town man. They have three children. In the quiet minutes of her day, you will find her at the keyboard or curled up with a book–always with coffee. Kelly believes we are created for community and loves to find ways to connect with other women who are walking in the shadow of the cross. She blogs at mrsdisciple.com.