Radiate: 14 Devotions to Reflect the Heart of JesusSample

Heaven on the Horizon

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. ECCLESIASTES 3:11 NLT

We know we are eternal beings. Covered in flesh and placed on this earth, we were meant to feel a little strange here. Our heavenly Father never wanted us to get comfortable here because He knows our security is only found in our forever home with Him. This is why He deep-wired into us the hope of heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that we were made with eternity in our hearts. In other words, we have always been just passing through this world.

Life is hard though. The curveballs and confusion can make us feel crazy, and sometimes we find ourselves praying for a break. An escape. Just a release of some kind, right? Our times of struggle and the reality we find ourselves in should push us not to hopelessness or fear but rather to hope and faith. When the waves crash, we must realign our focus on the Maker of the sea. When the future feels dim, we must remember He is the Light of the world. Our citizenship is in heaven, but while we live here, we are called to bring heaven to earth. If our confidence, hope, and kindness look no different from the world’s, what are we communicating about heaven?

When our perspective is based simply on what we see, we have quite a limited view. As children of the King, we have the supernatural ability to see our situation from the throne of heaven. As we lift our eyes from the dirt and we remember the divine, we will radiate the peace of God.

We do not get the luxury of living in a bubble and becoming irrelevant here. After all, we wouldn’t even find fulfillment there because we were created for relationships and to make a difference! It is our desire for heaven that propels us forward as we discover God’s handiwork here. The waves still crash, but our joy is found in the refinement as we keep a heavenly perspective. Is there anything more powerful than watching someone praise Him in the storm? Such faith reveals that we know the end of the story: Heaven is on the horizon. This truth is the peace that guards our souls.

Hey Jesus, thank You for the promise and peace that heaven brings. With eternity in my heart, I find courage and confidence to move forward. Keep my mind fixed on You, the author and perfecter of my faith. In Jesus’ name, amen.