Daily Devotional: Hope

The Hope of Heaven
 
This year I turned 50 years old and it’s got me thinking a lot about heaven.
 
When I was a teenager I never thought much about the future.  I felt invincible and I lived in the present.  My universe was small and self-centered.  But now, having crossed the undeniable threshold of middle age, I find myself looking forward to heaven. I feel the pull of its presence, like the moon’s gravity calling the ocean tide. Heaven is getting closer… bigger… and more real with every passing day.
 
I think this is what the apostle Paul meant by “the hope stored up for you in heaven” (Colossians 1:5).
 
When things look bleak on earth, our hearts should long for heaven and look to heaven for hope and encouragement.
 
I’m reminded of the quotation by Corrie Ten Boom:
“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.
If you look within, you’ll be depressed.  If you look at God you’ll be at rest.”
 
So how much do you find yourself thinking about heaven and looking forward to the day when all things will be made right?  If you find yourself feeling down or disheartened by the condition of the world, think about the hope that is stored up for you in heaven, and pray this prayer: “May your kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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