Heavenbound
A compilation
Download Audio (9.9MB)
God’s plan for us is not just to eat, drink, be merry, and then die. There is so much more to life than this. In reality, we are heavenbound. It is for this reason that the apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). And because life does not end here on earth, we need to fix our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to translate us from this life to the next life in heaven. …
To emphasize that we are not earthbound but heavenbound, the apostle Peter said, “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). We should therefore not think and act as if this world is our permanent home. We are merely passing by. The ultimate goal is heaven, the home of the redeemed. Therefore, in actuality, we are on a journey. This journey is exciting, challenging, and yet rewarding.
When we embark on a journey to heaven, it is exciting in that we are expectant of good things happening along the way. It is even more exciting when we are given an idea of what is waiting for us at the end. ... Therefore, “let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Yes, our own journey to heaven is exciting, as we grow in our knowledge of the Lord and have a good view and understanding of what awaits us in heaven. …
Our journey to heaven is rewarding. While trials and challenges will try to dampen the excitement that we have at the beginning, our effort will pay off if we press on towards our goal. The apostle James said, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12). Therefore, let us not lose sight of the greater reward. The trials and obstacles that come our way in this journey should not derail us. …
In this journey, we need to walk by faith. Heaven is a wonderful place, but we can only get there through our Lord Jesus Christ. Without Jesus, we cannot enter heaven. For this, I thank God for Jesus and for his love. The words of the apostle Peter are so true, “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, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8–9). Amen!—Teck Uy1
The eternal riches of heaven
When we learn to keep our eyes on heaven and God’s promises for our eternal future with Him, it helps us to endure the challenges of today. If we’re only looking at what’s happening around us today, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture of eternity.
The Apostle Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). We have to look beyond what we’re experiencing today to the future: the rewards, the joy, the surcease from life’s battles. We have so much to look forward to, and as we remind ourselves of all that God has promised for those who love Him, the day-to-day difficulties, sorrow, and pain will be easier to bear.
Jesus said: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. … My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1–3).
Keeping a heavenly perspective takes stepping back from the day-to-day responsibilities and challenges of life and focusing on the bigger picture of God’s plans and purposes. It’s remembering that you are on earth for a short time, and that one day you will shed all the struggles, difficulties, and problems of this life, and only the eternal and lasting things will come with you.
Paul wrote in the book of Romans that he considered that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). We can’t always understand God’s purposes for what we are experiencing, but we can be assured that even if “now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror,” then we will “see everything with perfect clarity.” And what we know today may be “partial and incomplete,” but “then we will know completely, just as God knows us completely” (1 Corinthians 13:12).
When you invest your time and life in that which has eternal value—God’s kingdom and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)—you are storing up treasures in heaven. “And where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20–21).—Maria Fontaine
The heavenward journey
When my oldest child died, I knew that my life would never be the same. In the initial months that followed, I expected that the change would be entirely negative. However, not all of the differences were painful. The Lord did something unexpectedly positive that has remained with me ten years later.
On November 10, 2013, my son lived in my house. On November 11, 2013, he lived in heaven above. Heaven was no longer an abstract, theological concept. It was now my son’s home. … After my son’s death, the Lord created a change in my mind, heart, and life that I would describe as a “heavenward shift.” … I became consumed with heaven in a manner that eternity had a constant presence in my perspective in the routine matters of daily life. …
And then I met my “friend,” the apostle Paul. As I read his letters with fresh eyes, I noticed that Paul integrated heaven into just about everything, including somewhat mundane matters of life. … What I discovered in the apostle’s theology of heaven is that the eternal realities of every Christian’s salvation should naturally create a magnified consciousness of heaven in all of us.
At the core, Paul believed that the coming of Jesus constituted the long-awaited divine visitation of God, known as the Day of the Lord. ... Believers, upon conversion, are transferred into this heavenly realm on earth, which Paul often refers to as the Kingdom of God, the new creation, the age of the Spirit, or the light. We are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of his beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). Hence, our current citizenship truly becomes heaven the second we put our faith in Christ (Philippians 3:20).
In addition, the Lord blesses us with particular blessings of the future heavenly life during our time on earth. We come into union with Christ, which will be the bedrock of our heavenly joy. He declares the current, heavenly blessing of union with Christ in Colossians by saying, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Furthermore, Paul described the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as the present “guarantee” or “down payment” of the future communion with God in the heavenly life. As a result of all these new realities brought about by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, Paul lived with a foot in heaven and a toe on earth. …
The heavenward journey begins with knowing the present and future eternal realities of your salvation. They will bring you such life, hope, and joy! Having a heavenward life, where eternity comprises the perpetual backdrop of your day-to-day consciousness, is a gracious work of the Holy Spirit in your heart, mind, and life. Seek his truth about heaven and pray for this work. The Lord may surprise you with an inspiring pivot in your spiritual life in the same way that he unexpectedly has turned ashes to beauty in my life.—Cameron Cole2
Published on Anchor April 2025. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Fogarty.
1 Teck Uy, “Heavenward,” Friends of Jesus Christ, Canada, January 21, 2018, https://friendsofjesuschrist.com/2018/01/21/heavenward/
2 Cameron Cole, “Looking Heavenward Transforms Our Sorrow,” Crossway, April 18, 2024,
https://www.crossway.org/articles/looking-heavenward-transforms-our-sorrow/
