October 16 Daily Devotional

The Vision Splendid

What are you looking for and hoping for in heaven? ... Do you ever look forward to being in heaven? ... I like the way in which Matthew Henry put it: ‘We are never told in the Scriptures that we should look forward to death; but we are told very frequently that we should look forward to heaven.’ The man who looks forward to death simply wants to get out of life because of his troubles. That is not Christian; that is pagan. The Christian has a positive desire for heaven.... But, more than this, what do we look forward to when we get to heaven? ... Is it the rest of heaven? Is it to be free from trouble and tribulations? Is it the peace of heaven? Is it the joy of heaven? All these things are to be found there, thank God; but that is not the thing to look forward to in heaven. It is the face of God. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.’ The Vision Splendid, the Summum Bonum, to stand in the very presence of God—’To gaze and gaze on Thee’. Do we long for that? Is that heaven to us? Is that the thing we want above everything else? It is the thing to covet and to long for.

The Apostle Paul tells us that to die is ‘to be with Christ’. There is no need to add anything to that. That is why, I believe, we are told so little in a detailed sense about the life in heaven and in glory. People often ask why we are not told more about it. I think there are two answers to that. One is that because of our sinful state any description we might be given would be misunderstood by us.... The second reason is more important; it is that it is often idle curiosity that desires to know more. I will tell you what heaven is. It is ‘to be with Christ’ and if that does not satisfy you, then you do not know Christ at all.... I do not want anything else. ‘Where Thou art is heaven. Just to look at Thee is sufficient.’

Faith on Trial, p. 111