Heaven Isn’t Far Away
Written by Rachel Fishburne
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
I recently went to one of our family members’ (at Pilgrims’ Friend Society those living in the care homes are called family members) thanksgiving service and we had a really uplifting message. We heard about how our bodies are like tents. We are momentarily pitched in this world until God takes us home to our heavenly, eternal home. This is a totally amazing concept, and it really moved me to feel concerned for the staff members sitting with me. We read on in 2 Corinthians chapter 5: ‘for we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by humans hands. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 17 we can see that whatever happens in this life is far outweighed by achieving our heavenly glory. In John we can pick up that our citizenship will be in heaven. We read that heaven is ‘my father’s place, a mansion where there are many rooms. It is the dwelling place of God’ and so many more references. We can only stand amazed at what we have waiting for us as we approach our eternal home.
We’re not that far from heaven.
We’re not that far from the angels.
We’re not that far from our loved ones in heaven.
We’re never far from God.
We’re never far from Jesus.
Heaven is a real place. It’s where Jesus is right now and we are not far away.
Matt Redman puts it beautifully in his song ‘One day’:
One day You'll make everything new, Jesus
One day You will bind every wound
The former things shall all pass away
No more tears
One day You'll make sense of it all, Jesus
One day every question resolved
Every anxious thought left behind
No more fear
When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus
We'll sing and shout the victory
One day we will see face to face, Jesus
Is there a greater vision of grace
And in a moment, we shall be changed
On that day
And one day we'll be free, free indeed, Jesus
One day all this struggle will cease
And we will see Your glory revealed
On that day
And when we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus
We'll sing and shout the victory
Yes, when we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be
And when we all see Jesus
We'll sing and shout the victory, oh
One day, one day
Yes, one day we will see face to face, Jesus
Is there a greater vision of grace?
And in a moment, we shall be changed
Yes, in a moment, we shall be changed
In a moment, we shall be changed
On that day
When we all get to heaven
What a day of rejoicing that will be
When we all see Jesus
We'll sing and shout the victory
We'll sing and shout the victory
We will weep no more
No more tears, no more shame
No more struggle, no more
Walking through the valley of the shadow
No cancer, no depression
Just the brightness of Your glory
Just the wonder of Your grace
Everything as it was meant to be
All of this will change
When we see You face to face
Jesus, face to face
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Aldrin Davis / Clarence Montgomery Iii / Geoffrey Patrick Earley / Bobby Ray Simmons Jr.
One Day (When We All Get To Heaven) lyrics © Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Notting Hill Music (uk) Ltd., Ham Squad Music, Artist 101 Publishing Group, Geoffrey Early Bmi Pub Designee, Worshiptogether.com Songs, Pouvois Sounds, Sixsteps Music, Said And Done Music, Thankyou Music, Songs Of Universal Inc., Kmr Holdings L.p.