Oh, how I long for heaven in a place called earth
Where every son and daughter will know their worth
Where all the streets resound with thunderous joy
Oh how I long for heaven in a place called earth
~ Jon Foreman
Jon Foreman and Lauren Daigle wrote a song called A Place Called Earth, which Foreman recorded on an album titled Departures. In it, he discusses the idea of living on the borderline between earth and heaven. This seems to be a recurring theme. I hear several phrases all the time:
- On earth as it is in heaven.
- Til earth looks like heaven
I’m not certain these sayings are correct.
I realize the first one is from the Bible. However, it is often misquoted and taken out of context. You can’t go around assuming earth is going to have the look and feel of heaven. No, this scripture calls for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. But that’s a whole other topic, which I covered in a separate blog post, Heaven on Earth.
The second is a popular saying, but I’m never sure the context is. The earth will look like heaven when God recreates both (Rev. 21:1-2).
I personally like the way Foreman puts it, “Oh how I long for heaven in a place called earth”. A Christian should constantly be longing for heaven. All your words, actions and reactions should point to Jesus. Everything you say and do should be influenced by the presence of God in your life. You long for heaven because that is where Jesus is with you eternally. Yet, Jesus is already with every Christian from the time they give their lives to Him. You look for His presence all around you.
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21 ESV)
So, how do you see heaven on earth? I think it starts with having heaven in in your eyes. In other words, being able to see the glory of God in all circumstances.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 NIV)
Rich Mullins has a song that says “Everywhere I go I see You.” I even wrote a post on this called I See You.
Matthew West wrote a song called Wonderful Life where he says,
This life ain’t always wonderful
But what a wonderful life it is.
You need heaven in your eyes to be able to see how wonderful this life is despite the circumstances that can make life less than wonderful. In fact, the way he changes the lyric at the end of the song really drives this point home.
This life ain’t always wonderful
But this life ain’t all there is
Having heaven in your eyes is a great first step in seeing heaven on earth. But there is more. In the lyric I shared above, Jon Foreman is talking about longing for heaven in a place called earth. Then he explains that in heaven, “all the streets resound with thunderous joy”. Yes, heaven will be a place of unimaginable joy. However, Christians need to be exuding that joy, now.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Pet. 1:8 NIV)
I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. (John 15:11 AMP)
Christians should be making the streets resound with thunderous joy here and now as you wait for heaven. There are surely elements of heaven that you won’t see until you get there, but there are elements of heaven we have been granted access to now. This world has seen enough “grumpy Christians”, it’s time the world sees how joyful Christians should be.
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