Considering Heaven: An Invitation

When we set our minds on things above and fill our minds with the Bible's teachings on Heaven, then there should be much blessing and motivation for our living in the present. Yet our meditation on Heaven should also spur us on in our proclamation of the Savior. If we are truly loving God and man, and truly excited about the New Heavens and the New Earth then we ought to be eager to extend the Gospel invitation to the world.

Consider these passages from the Word of God:

"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come'. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."

- Revelation 22:17

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

- Matthew 11:28-30

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live..."

- Isaiah 55:1-3a

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst'."

- John 6:35

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

- John 3:16

Are we eager to declare the power of God for salvation? Are we eager to join Christ and say "come to find rest"? When we think about the glories of Heaven we should be all the more inspired to preach the message of these verses to the lost. For those who are hungry, thirsty, and heavy laden the invitation of the Gospel is there. Simply come. Christ's perfect life, substitutionary death, and glorious resurrection have secured for us peace with God. When we think about Heaven and being able to worship in the presence of our Creator and Redeemer, satisfied, unstained, and restored for eternity, our passion for proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ ought to be increased. When we meditate on the infinite majesty of our King and the reality that we will be like Him for we shall see Him as He is, then we ought to more greatly desire to proclaim the Wedding Feast invitation!

Do we have a genuine desire that none should perish but that all should repent and find salvation in Jesus? Is that our passion? Do we want everyone to love our King and to experience the indescribable joy, glory, and peace of being in His majestic and loving presence in the New Heavens and the New Earth for eternity?

It is really quite a simple thought. If we consider how glorious, how beautiful, how joyous, how desirable, how breath-taking, how shockingly, mind-blowingly awesome it will be to forever be with the One who gave us life and breath and rescued us from sin and death, then we ought to be more eager to invite anyone and everyone to come to Christ that they might worship Him forever in the Kingdom of God. This is a convicting thought for me. May the Lord grace us with His love and strength that we might be empowered to preach the Gospel as we should. I believe that when we meditate on the glory and wonder of Heaven, then we will be more eager to extend the Gospel invitation to those who are lost.