Paul reminds the Philippians, ‘But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.‘ (Phil 3:20-21) Living with our eyes only on temporal things, on the things of this earth, will always leave us dissatisfied, for we were made for so much more than we can currently experience. Abraham, we are told, ‘was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.‘ (Heb 11:10) We too need to live in the realisation that this sin-stained earth is not all there is to look forward to. God is working all things together for good and making a new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1).
Jeremy Camp’s song ‘Finally Home’ captures something of the hope and joy we have in God:
‘I will be dancing free
Unashamed before my King
When I am finally home.
Won’t need no bed to sleep ,
I have too much to see
Just staring at Your throne .
Eyes will fill with tears of joy
Your fullness, I will know.
I will be forever running free
Moving to all Heaven’s melodies ,
Colours that I’ve never seen,
Bigger than my wildest dreams,
We’ll be together
When I’m finally home.
Head first into Your love
I’ll never get enough of
What You have to show
And that’s just the beginning,
In Your river I’ll be swimming
And the water’s never cold.
Every tribe and every nation
Shouting out Your name
You and I will be together
With a love that lasts forever
And I know there’s nothing better
We will be forever running free.’ (‘Finally Home’, Jeremy Camp)
