What Is Heaven To You?

“A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven.” Matthew 18:18 (The Message) 

When people use the phrase, “I’m in heaven,” they are typically vacationing on a sunny, warm island or getting an incredible full-body massage or eating an extraordinarily delicious meal.  What activities would cause me to use that phrase? Definitely all of the above along with some other things I can think of.

In living life, I believe a goal of mine is to bring heaven to earth.  I want my life to be happy, fulfilling, and free.  But when I participate in something, how often do I think about whether this particular thing will be practiced in heaven or not? And how much do the things I spend doing really bring heaven into my life? In this world, the idea of being happy, fulfilled, and free has gotten far off from what God intended.  People turn to alcohol, drugs, food, media, relationships, etc. to try to fill that desire to have heaven on earth.  But if God would say “no” on earth, wouldn't He also say “no” in heaven? 

I was surprised as I processed what heaven is to me that being with Jesus wasn't the first thing that came to mind.  That stung my heart.  Isn’t Jesus the sole purpose of why I can even go to heaven?  Shouldn’t Jesus be the sole reason that I want to go to heaven?  In all our searching and trying different things out to bring heaven to our lives, Jesus is heaven Himself.

My fabulous friend, Jennifer Schwirzer, wrote a song about this very topic called The Strangest Dream.  Following are the lyrics to the song:

Last night I had the strangest dream

An angel carried me to heaven’s gate

Glory flowed out a golden stream

The angel said, “Go right in, celebrate”

But then the angel asked me,

“What if Jesus wasn’t there?

 What if He was still on the cross somewhere?”

What would you say, what would you do? 

Go in and wait for Him in heaven

Or is Jesus heaven to you?

I woke my pillow wet with tears

Oh so happy that it wasn’t real

Still how that dream so filled with fears

Changed the way I think and feel

All of us should ask what we’re really longing for 

Special things for us or the honor of the Lord?

What would you say, what would you do? 

Go in and wait for Him in heaven

Or is Jesus heaven to you?