Problems and Pie in the Sky

“God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more” (Revelation 21:3b-4).

I am incredibly excited about heaven and the unimaginable wonder to come when I reflect on Paul’s words: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 KJV). I have had many marvelous feelings in my heart, from falling in love with my wife to the deep emotions of worship. But heaven will eclipse it all!

Yet, people question if “pie in the sky” really exists. That question is central to our life on earth. The belief in heaven brings us a worldview of breathtaking significance. The theme of heaven is omnipresent – from Genesis where we hear God speaking from heaven to the Gospels where Jesus talks of heaven constantly, through to the book of Revelation where we are promised a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1). There is no theme more glorious that can fill our life here with eternal hope and expectation of what’s to come.

The human race is homesick. And heaven is our home. This life and its problems are not the whole story. Whatever deep waters we have passed through on the journey to heaven will seem insignificant when we are finally with Jesus in absolute joy. When we face trials and suffering, we can hope for this day. There will be an end to all suffering. There will be a reward for persevering. Our God will “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). It will be glorious beyond imagining. And we will all know we are home!

Reflection

As you reflect on the problems that are weighing on you now, choose to spend some time praising God that the day is coming when he will make all things new. Thank him that he has promised to wipe away every tear and there will be no more crying or pain. Ask him to comfort you with hope in the face of your trials.

This content was adapted from Deep Waters of the Disciple: Thoughts for Christians in Crisis by Michael Cassidy. To discover more about specific trials such as bereavement, disease, divorce, or despair, read the whole book.