Til the Day I Die: A 6-Day Devotional With Fellowship CreativeНамуна

HEAVEN ON EARTH

Connor Hadden

As a child, I remember learning about Heaven in Sunday school. We sang songs about streets of gold, dancing, singing, and living forever. We learned that Heaven was a place where there was no sin and where I got to live in my idyllic dream vacation home (okay, the vacation home thing may have been something I dreamt of myself). I remember, as a child, asking my mom if our pets were going to be in Heaven and if I would see my grandma and grandpa there when they passed. I dreamed of Heaven as the ultimate afterlife paradise full of awe and wonder (and filled with all my once-deceased pets now living). Perhaps this was your experience as well.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” God has placed eternity in our hearts! Our lives have a direction, and although our hearts are pointing towards eternity, I believe Jesus wants you to experience Heaven on Earth right here! Right now!

One of the most well-known prayers in the Bible, if not the most recognized prayer in the Bible, can be found in the Gospels of both Matthew and Luke. It’s a prayer that Jesus taught to His disciples when posed the question, how should we pray (Luke 11:1)? Jesus responds to His disciples with this,

Our Father in heaven

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:9b-13, NIV)

What I love about this prayer is that Jesus teaches His disciples to not only fix their eyes on God the Father (Matthew 6:9), but He instructs them to INVITE Heaven down to Earth (Matthew 6:10). Jesus is encouraging us to invite Heaven down to Earth today!

So what does Heaven on Earth actually look like in our own lives? As Christians, we believe Heaven is the complete presence of God. We also know that all good things come from Him (James 1:17). As we begin to open our eyes and look around at the many good things and blessings that surround us each day, we begin to see Heaven dwelling on Earth all around us. Teresa of Avila once said, “Wherever God is, there is Heaven.” Likewise, wherever we see God’s glory and His goodness on Earth, we see a glimpse of Heaven on Earth!

To me, Heaven on Earth looks like worship. It looks like obedience to God during a difficult decision or a hard conversation that is approached with God-honoring intentions. It looks like a beautiful sunset handcrafted by a Heavenly Creator or a delicious meal shared in fellowship with other believers. It looks like quiet moments spent with Jesus, healthy relationships, an exciting opportunity God has brought into your life or a friend that has always been there for you. Heaven on Earth is a kind word of affirmation from a loved one or a caring gesture of kindness you make towards a stranger. His Heaven on Earth is all around us if we take the time to open our eyes and see the many good things God places in our lives daily. Heaven on Earth is with us today, and God asks us to continue to invite it into our lives when we pray to Him.

Today, let’s give thanks, invite Heaven into our worlds and hearts, and let God's kingdom flood our souls as we align our hearts with God’s will for our lives. Pray that God would bring His will into your life today here on Earth as it is in Heaven.