Is Heaven Our Great Escape?

If you’ve spent much time around me, or even read my blogs for a period of time, you’ll know that I often talk about “being ready to go.”  I get a variety of reactions to that from, “Amen, sister!” to “No! I’m not ready for you to go!” to “Do you have a death wish?”

Ever since Dale went to be with the Lord in October 2017, I’ve thought often about what an incredible reunion that will be someday.  When I have days where the loneliness just doesn’t seem to ease its grasp on my heart; when I’m weary over the heartache that my friends are suffering through; when I see the brokenness of this world as a whole – that’s when Heaven holds its greatest appeal for me.

Those are the times I cry out, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!”  Or, come take me!

I’ve really made no apology for my desire to leave the cares of this world behind, and enjoy all the incredible reunions and rejoicing awaiting me in Heaven.

And yet, I’m well aware of the fact that, so long as God has chosen to place me down here in this world, I must do my best to serve him and serve others.  I am grateful for those opportunities, but I might just have an eye to the heavens!

I took a closer look at that heaven-earth tension in this post, if you’d like to delve a bit deeper into this subject.

A few days ago, I was reading my devotional by Charles Spurgeon, and he was commenting on the prayer in John 17:15 where Jesus says, “My prayer is not that you take them [his disciples] out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

Sounds great.  I’ve read it many times and I’m in awe of the idea of Jesus praying over them, and perhaps by extension us, to be protected from Satan.

Then I read a little further and this is what Spurgeon had to say:

“Christians often want to die when they have any trouble.  …  They want to go home, not so much for the Savior’s company, as to be at rest. Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one.  Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as he pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave him to say when ‘it is enough.’”

I felt immediately convicted.  Oh sure, I do long to be with Jesus and spend glorious days in praise to God.  But, is that the first reason that comes to my mind?  Sadly, no.

I most want Jesus to return or take me home when I’m simply weary of the pain and the ugliness and the brokenness around me.  I, first and foremost, want to be rid of all that makes me sad. My afterthought is that it will also be amazing to spend eternity with Jesus.

I know I’m not alone in this thinking – not that it makes it less errant simply because I have company!  I have these kinds of conversations with solid Christians all the time.  But perhaps I help lead them down this path a few too many times!

How do we reprioritize our longing for Heaven?

For me, it’s a matter of not immediately jumping to the idea of getting out of this world whenever I feel the weariness of it.  I want to persevere through the tough times, knowing that God is still working incredible good through them.

I should be longing for the opportunity to be used of God in ways I can’t begin to imagine.

Change my thinking from, “Please God, I’m ready to go NOW” to, “Dear God, reveal to me the ways you’ll work through the heartache I see all around me.  Help me to encourage others to seek your face and your will here on earth until your timing is fulfilled. May my greatest desire for Heaven be because that’s where you are.”

I have some work to do in this area.  How about you?

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

Psalm 73:25