Preparing for Heaven

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:1-5

Scripture solemnly says, “...it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). Through the years we’ve gathered a great deal of misunderstanding about heaven, and we’ve expressed it in songs and ballads and hymns. Unfortunately, many of them tend to lean in the direction of the sentimental rather than to be Scripturally correct.

What will we do in heaven?

- We’ll unhesitatingly praise God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

- We’ll shine for God. Once in heaven, earthly limitations will be removed, allowing the very glory of God which indwells each believer to shine forth (Matt. 13:41-43).

- We’ll serve the Lord (Rev. 22:1-3).

- We’ll reign with God. To reign means to oversee (Rev. 22:4-5). Our lives on earth are a testing ground, preparing us for what we will do in heaven. We are earning heavenly rewards and responsibilities by our work here and now.

What are you doing in preparation for eternity in God’s kingdom? As the great hymn by Helen H. Hemmel says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

A wise person always prepares for what they know is inevitable.