Heaven

Heaven

There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly.

John 14:2

After my grandma died, my sister and her husband had several opportunities to talk with their three-year-old son about death. They explained to Brent that Great Grandma was in heaven with God and that she was very happy there. A few days later we all went to her memorial service, which was held at a local funeral home. As we left, young Brent remarked, “I didn’t think heaven would look like that!”

What do we expect heaven to look like? It’s challenging for moms to know exactly how to respond when our children ask us about heaven because we haven’t been there yet! But Scripture provides us with some facts we can share with our children:

1. Heaven is where God is (Matthew 6:9).
2. Kids love treasure chests, and heaven will be one big treasure chest. For those of us who have loved and served God with our hearts, heaven will include gift after gift after gift (Matthew 6:19-21).
3. Jesus has gone there ahead of us to make it ready and to prepare a place for us (John 14:2).
4. God is surrounded in heaven by angels who serve him. Heaven will be an experience of praising God with the angels forever (Revelation 4).
5. Heaven will feel like home to us—the place where we belong (Philippians 3:20).
6. Heaven will be a safe and happy place where there will be no end to joy. There will be no tears, no pain, no death, no weakness, and no night (Revelation 21:3-4).

God of heaven,

May we take advantage of opportunities to teach our children some of the wonderful things your Word has told us about heaven. Thank you that heaven will be a place of great joy. Amen.