The Advent of Christ -The Hope of Heaven

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

As I was tucking my 4-year-old into bed this evening, he, out of the blue, got really fearful and sad about the idea of not living with us anymore when he becomes a grown-up. Of course, my heart starts to ache as he cries, knowing that I really can’t help him see that there will come a day when he will likely fall in love with a girl, marry her, and want to leave our house. He then begins spiraling, still in tears, asking me questions like, “Are we going to die? Is Ellie going to die? Where is heaven? Will we be together? Where will I sleep? I love this house…”

How do you explain the glorious hope of heaven and eternal life with Jesus to a 4-year-old? In the scripture above, Paul encourages those experiencing trials and suffering to fix their eyes on what is unseen… To not focus on the current worries or trials, as those are temporary, but to fix our eyes on the hope of heaven, and the life to come with Jesus in the new heaven and the new earth. In the verses prior, it says that “…outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

This Advent season, maybe you find yourself in a season of suffering or grief. May this truth encourage you that though what you’re going through may seem impossible to endure, you have a hope in Jesus even when it’s hard to imagine the beauty and joy awaiting on the other side of this temporary life.

Or maybe life has been filled with joy and blessing for you lately. I find that often, like my 4-year-old, it can be hard to imagine life after death. Or to even imagine a better life than the one God has blessed us with.

In the song “Highlands (Song of Ascent),” there’s a line that says:
From the gravest of all valleys come the pastures we call grace…

Maybe you’re living in a “pasture we call grace”… When life is good and beautiful, let’s fix our eyes on Jesus, and may He reveal to us just how much the eternal glory with Him truly does outweigh all of this…

Wherever you find yourself, whether in a season of difficulty or a pasture of grace, may Jesus fix your eyes on what is unseen. Throughout the preparations for the holidays, the gift-giving and receiving, the grief over loved ones that have passed and aren’t with us, the sharing of meals, the road trips, and the family time… may He, above all, capture our affection and attention. May the hope of the life we have after this bring us overflowing joy and peace.