God's Plan and Promises for His PeopleSample

God plans for heaven to be our happy home.

Think of the perfect vacation spot. Lots of trees. Flowing streams. Beautiful countryside. Perfect weather. And then think of what this place would be like if it were heaven. That's what God has planned for us, happy home in the idyllic environment of heaven.

When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, it must have been astonishing! But heaven is better than Eden. Psalm 46:4 says, "There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God." John saw that river in heaven. He said, "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb" (Rev. 22:1).

In addition, the tree of life is in heaven, which yields its fruit twelve months a year (Rev. 22:2). The streets are pure gold, like transparent glass, and the gates of the heavenly city are made of twelve pearls, beautiful and glistening (Rev. 21:21).

Heaven will be a happy place—not only in comparison to our environment but also because of what is missing. Revelation 21:4 says, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." No death, no pain, no sorrow, no crying. That's God's plan for our future. No wonder it will be a happy home!

God prepares a perfect home for us in heaven.

No house is any better than the integrity of its architect or the skill of its contractor. An untrained architect will create a flawed design, and an incompetent contractor will provide a tacky job. 

But the Architect with the most notable integrity and Contractor with omniscient skill is designing and constructing our eternal home. Our Saviour, our Intercessor, our Advocate is our Architect and Contractor.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They're building a palace for me over there.

—Harriett E. Buell

We must never take Jesus' words lightly. In John 14:2, Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Heaven is being prepared by the Lord Jesus for you today—if you know Him as Saviour.

Think about this: Paul asked, "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32). The "all things" does not have a time limit. In our eternal home, God the Father has already provided dwelling places for His heirs with "all things" built right in.

Our heavenly home must be the most glorious possible. If God did not spare His only begotten Son, no additional expense is too great for Him. Jesus already paid the highest price possible. All that remains is for us to take up residence in the eternal home purchased with that price. With such a high price, can you envision the property?