Heaven or God?

Many of us know what it is like to lose a loved one. Whether a brother or a sister, mother or father, grandparent or great grandparent, or even a spouse or a child. I am hurt to say that many have even lost several of those that are close to them.

It is during these times which, no matter what their spiritual status, we will mourn the loss of. If they are a believer, we will be sad...yet joyful, but I cannot even begin to imagine what it is like to lose someone close to you whom you know was not a believer in the saving work of the Lord Jesus.

However, when a loved one who is a believer passes from this life into the next, what do we normally say?

"Well, we know where they are..."

Now this is not necessarily wrong, because if they are truly a child of God, then yes, we know exactly where they are--they are with the Lord Jesus beginning their next stage of life in eternal glory in the Heavenly realms being fully embraced in the power and physical presence of God!

Is the part that I wrote in bold, really how we see it though?

Too often I think when we say, "Well, we know where they are..." we just mean Heaven as a place of no more suffering. Do you know what that tells me? That maybe we place more emphasis on Heaven as the environment rather than on Heaven as the person.

What did Jesus say in John 17:3?

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know You [God the Father], the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent."

Now don't get me wrong. I am all for going to Heaven. One day I will be there myself. But what is my focus? Do I just want to be perfect and never suffer again and have everything go according to plan or do I want to know God and be with Him for the rest of my life (all eternity)?

If I am honest, many times I find myself longing to be removed from this fallen world and placed into the Heavenly realms. I mean, in reality, who enjoys feelings of rejection, fear, shame, and guilt? Who enjoys falling into sin...especially a sin that seems to so easily entangle us in our own personal lives? Who enjoys feelings of regret and remorse and experiencing sickness and death?

The answer is no one. We all want to be accepted. We all desire to live fulfilling lives influencing other people. We all long to be exactly what God created us to be because He has put eternity in our hearts (Ecc. 3:11).

The apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:8...

"...I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..."

Even Heaven would be a loss if it was missing the Lord Jesus!

Did you know that this same guy said in Romans chapter nine that he would be willing to go to Hell if only the Israelites would believe? He was willing to trade places with the nation as a whole in terms of what environment he would be dwelling in for the rest of eternity. How many of us can honestly say that about the United States of America?

You see, Paul was not focused on what environment he would soon be living in. His concern was on the Person that he would be with--the Lord Jesus.

Instead of saying, "Well, we know where they are..." how about we say something like, "We know who they are with..." Would this at all change our perspective on things?

In all honesty, what is more important: going to heaven or being with God? Where does our trust lie? Where do we find joy and happiness? In what or whom do we really long for? These are questions that must be considered.