HEAVEN IS REAL

Sometimes, I tell Jonei (and Peter also) my life in the Philippines. I tell them stories about my childhood and describe the way of life there.

Our house there is concrete, and tiled white from the terrace to the kitchen. I used to complain every single time I cleaned it. I would say "I couldn't believe Daddy chose the same color all throughout. Why didn't he choose a darker color for the kitchen?" It's a pain to clean an all-white tile. Every minute trace of dirt shows.

We have a coconut tree that did not grow straight. It grew sideways. My brothers used to climb it regularly because it is the easiest to climb. When we want to have coconut juice and buko (young coconut meat), that was the tree we would look into first. When we were young, we hanged rope on it and swing on it as we saw Tarzan do while making his signature yell.

There was a duhat tree and some siniguelas trees in Mamang Eleno's land adjacent to our property which we used to raid when we were small. I tell the kids how my brothers would drop the duhat while we tried to catch them using our shirts which earned us a sermon from Mommy when she sees our purple stained clothes.

I can go on and on. My point is, everything I say to the babies would just remain a story for them. They could not really picture the reality of it until they see it in person, when God finally grants my wish to be able to go home.

My friends, the same principle applies to the way Jesus describes heaven. He says in today's reading that in His Father's house are many mansions. He was describing to us His home. Heaven is a place where there's no pain, tears or fears (Revelation 21:4). Jesus knew heaven as a place of everlasting joy and peace. He often spoke of the rewards stored in heaven for the righteous (Matthew 5:12; 6:20; 19:21).
To those who heard it first hand and to us who reads it, it seems like just another story. We won't fully comprehend the reality of it until we finally get to see it. But it doesn't mean it is not true.

My friends, not everyone will see heaven. Only those who put their trust in the Lord, those who believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord; and those who obey Him. So why not act now if you haven't? Remember that nobody knows the date nor the time when we face our Creator. Only the Father knows.

Tomorrow is not certain. The end could be today, tomorrow, later, or much much later. Do you want to be caught unaware?

Meditation: John 14:1-6

“Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

--that in all things God may be glorified