A Prayer for Heaven
Christians should think more about heaven. In some ways, although it is wonderful to try to think about heaven, it is hard work. The Bible’s descriptions of heaven are almost more than we can handle. They are real. They are true. But our minds can’t conceive fully of such a wonderful place until we actually experience it.
Let’s take a portion of the Bible about heaven, and try to pray our way into it. As we read it and then pray through what we read, may the Lord develop the spectacular picture of heaven onto our hearts more vividly than ever before. And may that picture of the future inspire hope in our hearts today.
Revelation 21:1–4: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:10–12: And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed.
Revelation 21:22–27: And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day — and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Revelation 22:1–5: Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
A Prayer for Heaven.
Dear Father, You have made heaven a glorious place. Although I don’t feel like I even have categories for how spectacular heaven will be, I can tell it will be glorious. In fact, your Word says that your glory will be that which lights it up. How wonderful!
In the hard times in my life you have been with me. Sometimes, when it didn’t feel like you were there, I had to believe it based on what the Bible says. But in heaven, you will be with us. It won’t just be faith that will make be know your presence, in some sense I will see you there.
I have shed many tears in this world. Sometimes sorrows seem to overload my soul. But in that place you will fully and finally meet me in my need. You will replace my grief with ultimate comfort — every one of my tears will be wiped dry. There will be no more tears, or pain, or death. All gone, forever. How wonderful!
Your city will come down from above. You will purge out all of the ills of this world and renew it. Your holy city will rest upon that new, renewed earth. It truly will be heaven on earth.
What a holy place it will be! Every bit of sin in this world and in my heart must be removed for me to enter in. You will do that as part of my final salvation in Jesus. Your glory will be shining in perfect radiance. It will bounce off of, through and around all of the crystal walls, foundations, gates, and streets. It will be better than a holy laser show, and it will never end, because you never end. How amazing!
My pain will be healed. Everyone in your kingdom will be healed. The curse of the fallen world will be healed.
As I think about the purified and holy worship that will happen in that day, it makes my bow my head and heart in worship to you today. You deserve it all. Glory to God in the highest!
