Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about heaven. About eternity. About the place we’ve heard so much about but cannot fully wrap our minds around.
What do we truly know about heaven? Scripture tells us that if we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are saved. We understand the price He paid for our sins, and we hold to the promise that one day He will return for those who choose the path of loving Him.
Loving God means more than just saying it out loud — it’s turning away from selfish desires, from sin, and living with a posture of repentance. Not because we’re afraid, but because we love Him and want to walk in His Word. Jesus said in John 14:2–3, “My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
The Bible paints heaven as our true home, the place where our citizenship lies (Philippians 3:20). We also know it’s beyond anything our minds can picture: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has conceived — the things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
John 3:16 reminds us of the foundation of that promise: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
In my own time with the Lord, I’ve been asking Him to search my heart, to reveal anything in my life that does not honor Him. That journey led me deeper into the study of heaven while reading Revelation. I realized there are believers who are hungry to know more, who are living with an eager expectation. But I’ve also noticed that for many — even in churches — the topic of heaven and the End Times has grown quiet.
Why? Some say they don’t want to “scare” people. But for the believer, this isn’t a message of fear — it’s a message of hope. Hope that this broken world is not the end. Hope that Jesus is coming again. Hope that there is an eternal home waiting for us.
I’ll admit, sometimes I try to imagine what it will be like — to stand in His presence, to walk streets of gold, to live without pain or sorrow — and my human brain just can’t quite get there. Sometimes it even makes my heart race because it’s so unknown. Does anyone else ever close their eyes and try to imagine it, or am I the only weirdo? (haha)
Friend, I want to encourage you today — talk about heaven. Lean into learning about eternity. Don’t shy away from studying the End Times. We are called to be ready. And readiness isn’t just knowing the Word; it’s letting the Word reveal the heart of God, allowing His character to shape you from the inside out. Think about it — if you were sick, wouldn’t you want a doctor to tell you? Would you avoid the conversation that could save your life? In the same way, let the Lord use His Word to shine light on the parts of your life that don’t yet align with Him. That way, when He returns, you’re standing right there beside Him — prepared, transformed, and full of joy.
Now, to even begin to grasp heaven, you first have to understand His love for you — and how it’s because of that love that He has prepared a place for you. That is the hope of eternity. Let’s have a little Bible study.
In Matthew 13:44–46, He tells us, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”
In these verses, the field represents the world, and the man represents Jesus — the One who gave everything to purchase that field. In other words, He gave His life for you and me. “So did Jesus himself, at the utmost cost, buy the world to gain his church, which was the treasure which he desired.” (Spurgeon) He bore the full weight of sin and all that came with it… for us. We have always been His desire.
In the next part of the passage, Jesus is the buyer searching for fine pearls — and in His eyes, we are those pearls. We are of immeasurable value to Him. To keep us for Himself for all eternity, He carried the punishment for our sin, purchasing us with His own blood so we could have the gift of eternal life.
Isaiah 53:3–5 says, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…”
“It seems crazy for a merchant to sell all that he had for one pearl, but for this merchant it was well worth it. That shows how much he valued this pearl of great price, and how much Jesus values His people.”
Y’all, we need to be louder about heaven. We should be expecting it with joy and sharing that joy with those who have not yet encountered the Father. My prayer is that we would fall so deeply in love with the Lord that we truly grasp how Jesus gave His life so we could spend eternity with Him — in a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no suffering. My prayer is that our churches get loud about heaven again, and that our communities get loud about heaven again!
Our pursuit of righteousness should not be driven by fear — though we must remember that the Lord is both Father and Judge, kind yet also just. Because of this, we cannot live lukewarm lives. Our obedience should flow out of love for Him and the joyful expectation of dwelling with Him forever.
And for you reading this, wondering if there’s a place for you — there is. Always. No matter your past.
Romans 11:22 says, “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief (meaning if you turn away from sin and repent) they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in AGAIN.”
Friend, the invitation is open. Jesus is ready to welcome you, to forgive you, to restore you, and to prepare a place for you in His Father’s house. Don’t wait until tomorrow to decide. Eternity is not something to fear — it’s the greatest promise for those who say “yes” to Him. Let today be the day you turn toward Him with your whole heart, so that when He returns, you’ll hear those words we all long for: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord” (Matthew 25:23).
Love,
The Hem Community
