When speaking of Heaven it is a true statement to say it is not about the place; it's about the Person. The Person being, of course, Jesus Christ. There is, in fact, no truer statement because everything is about Christ. I heard this truth recently in a Sunday message that came on the heels of several months spent with dear friends on a quest to gain a clearer vision of the nature of the place called Heaven. Hearing this truth made me pause; made me a little anxious about the direction of my heart's desire. Afterall, if Jesus will be there, why should I care about the details? He will be all I need. Why should anything else matter to me? I prayed about this, fearing that perhaps I was becoming a "Heaven-worshipper." Could my longing for Heaven be an idol keeping me from loving Christ - - the maker and giver of Heaven? An even larger knot grew in my stomach when I thought about all the people I had been telling about Heaven - - about all that I had learned. What if I had been leading them astray all this time?
As is my habit, I prayed for a time and then opened the Word. I have been reading Colossians of late - - reading it over and over everyday, but on this particular day verses 3 and 4 of chapter one caught my heart. This is what they say, "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven." Our faith in Christ and our love for others are directly linked to the hope we have waiting for us in Heaven. I know that since studying the place, I have grown in my faith in Christ. My fear of death fades as my trust in Him grows. I know that since studing the place, my love for others has grown. I feel an ease in sharing my faith and a desire for sharing my faith that I did not possess before.
So why does it matter? Why should we think about the place? Why should the nature of Heaven be important to us?
Firstly, I believe it is important to Christ - - Heaven's maker. John 14 tells us that he is preparing a place for us. That place is Heaven and he's put some thought into it - - that's what we do when we prepare something. Imagine a new husband. He has purchased a house for his bride. She hasn't seen it - - it's a suprise, but he told her he was getting it ready. She's probably a little nervous - - what if it's not nice? What if the colors aren't to her liking? What if the lighting isn't right, or the closets big enough? But, she needn't have worried. He loves her and knows her and has worked tirelessly on the details so that he could lavish her with good things, and on the day he carries her over the threshold, he can't wait for her to see her new home. He is her groom and has longed to share this day and this home with her for the rest of their lives. He leads her from room to room pointing out all the features he has designed and built with her in mind. Christ is waiting for his people to come home - - to the home that he has lovingly prepared. It matters to Him what that home is like, so it should matter to me.
A second thought came to mind as I wondered about why I should be interested in the characteristics of Heaven. My children have been blessed by God with artisitic abilities. This is one of the greatest blessings of my life. When my son or daughter makes a painting, draws a picture, or takes a photograph, I look at what they have created. I notice every detail - - colors, shapes, tone, meaning. As I examine what they have made, I come to know them a little better; our relationship becomes a little more intimate. And my love for them is stirred.
One of the early questions I posed to my friends and myself as we began our quest for Heaven was this: If all you knew about God was His promise of Heaven, what characteristics would you attribute to Him? If I have a faulty understanding of Heaven, I will not answer this questions sufficiently. This - - this is why I examine Heaven - - why I have been searching the Scriptures for details - - for colors, shapes, sounds, smells, textures. The more I learn about the place, the more my knowledge of the Person grows. I trust Him more. I love Him more. He is the maker of the place for which He is making me fit. He is waiting to carry me across the threshold and I trust He has the strength to do just that.
