Welcome Home

My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD.
Psalm 84:2

Joe Beam described what he thought his first moments in heaven might be like. “I’ll see angels of all kinds, godly people singing, and the Loving Light streaming from the throne. Somewhere, sometime, in that introduction to the home of God, I expect to hear an angel call my name. He’ll know me, though I won’t yet know him. ‘Joe. Good to see you here. Welcome home.’”

When we study the biblical descriptions of heaven, we realize such a scene isn’t far-fetched, and Joe’s eagerness for heaven is healthy. Heaven is a precious place, and we should anticipate it to the utmost. On weary days, it can energize us. Amid anxiety, it can console us. In sickness, it provides an anchor of hope. In poverty, it reminds us of our coming wealth.

The Bible tells us to look forward to His coming (2 Peter 3:14) and to long for His courts (Psalm 84:2). One day, we’ll hear an angel call our name and say—“Good to see you here. Welcome home!”

I would not give one moment of heaven for all the joy and riches of the world, even if it lasted for thousands and thousands of years.
Martin Luther