Mountain Movers

Ray Kinsella: Is there a heaven? John Kinsella: Oh yeah. It's the place where dreams come true. (from Field of Dreams)

Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:16)

This verse exposes the true motivation of the faithful. They were longing for a heavenly country. The Greek word for longing is oregomai, which means 'to stretch oneself' or 'reach out after.' In other words, it's not just a matter of wishful thinking--there is an active effort on the part of the faithful to attain the goal of heaven.

What the faithful were longing for is something better. There are always promises of a better lifestyle made to us. Why are there always lineups to buy lottery tickets? Because many of us believe that if we just had more money, our lives would be better. The advertising world portrays that our lives would be much better if we just had a nicer house, car and electronic gadgets. According to Wall Street, a healthy body or dream vacation will lead to a fulfilled life. Certainly, if we didn't have the promise of heaven, we would go after these things like there's no tomorrow.

It's not wrong to want a better quality of life, but heed what it says in Matthew 6:32, "The pagans run after these things." Materialism is a priority choice for the non-believers who chase after the prized possessions of this world. As Christians, we can make God proud by chasing after heaven God has done so much in order to give us the chance of having heaven. Ephesians 2:6 states that God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus-- note the past tense. If we could only see that sight with our physical eyes, even for a brief moment! To imagine sharing a glorious throne with Jesus himself! That's exactly what God has in store for our lives. And the amazing thing is that this was given to us in spite of us being dead in our transgressions, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature, and being objects of God's wrath. Paradoxically, because of God's mercy, He gives us a second chance to devote our lives to Him and ultimately experience what heaven has to offer us

I recently developed an eye ulcer. I remember laying awake throughout the night in agonizing pain and waking up in the morning not being able to see anything of substance from my right eye. I deeply pondered why I was going through this experience. I grew increasingly grateful for that situation because it helped remind me of what was most important. In 2 Corinthians 4:16, it says that "outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

We may be able to improve our lives by becoming healthier or acquiring things that will make our lives more comfortable, but that will only be temporary. In fact, we are guaranteed that our lives will deteriorate. Even the richest and healthiest people will eventually see their health falter and they will die. Yet, inwardly, we can be renewed by having a heaven-focus. Whenever I go through suffering, I'm reminded how frail my body is. At the same time, I'm reminded of my utter need of God and the promise of heaven.

Without heaven, life will eventually become hopeless and depressing. With heaven, we are renewed and filled with hope. When we long for heaven, God is not ashamed to be called our God. In other words, God is excited, pleased and proud of us. Why? Because it makes a difference in how we live our lives.

The lives of the faithful people in the Bible stood out. They were different from those around them. Their standard was God and there was a spiritual confidence and stability in their lives. Others take notice of the power of God in the lives of the faithful.

In Genesis 39, Potiphar noticed that God gave Joseph success in everything he did. Of course, right after that Joseph was wrongfully imprisoned because he wouldn't compromise his spiritual convictions, but he passed the spiritual challenges thrown his way and became an inspiration to those around him.

The ultimate physical testing for Job would be enough to push many to the brink of despair. Yet because of his faith in God, Job persevered and God blessed him much more than before.

The faithful believe with all their hearts that God will be with them until the end and that gives them the unwavering strength to stand firm no matter what comes their way As well, when we have a desire for heaven, it transcends the earthly realm into the spiritual world. One of the people who frequently expressed his longing for heaven was Paul. In Philippians 1:23, it says he desired "to depart and be with Christ" but remained on earth because he wanted so much to share with others about the promise of heaven. It's no surprise that in Acts 19, Paul had a reputation even amongst the angels and demons in the spiritual realm. Amazing to think that God has prepared a place for us in heaven--the place where dreams come true!

The cost to enter heaven has already been paid by Jesus. By longing for heaven, it changes the way we prioritize our lives and ultimately how we think and live. It also affects the way others view us. If there is anything that should deeply motivate us, it is the thought of knowing that one day we will be able to spend eternity in heaven. In the next chapter, we will continue to look at Abraham, a faithful example of someone who was longing for a heavenly country. We will see how God provided him with the ultimate test and how Abraham succeeded because of his faith in God.