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Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his! Numbers 23:10
D.L. MOODY
The sanctified man and the unsanctified one look at heaven very differently. The unsanctified man simply chooses heaven in preference to hell. He thinks that if he must go to either one, he would rather try heaven. It is like a man with a farm who has a place offered him in another country where there is said to be a gold mine; he hates to give up all he has and take any risk. But if he is going to be banished and must leave, and has his choice of living in a wilderness or digging in a coal pit, or else take the gold mine, then there is no hesitation. The unregenerate man likes heaven better than hell, but he likes this world the best of all. The true believer prizes heaven above everything else, and is always willing to give up the world. Everybody wants to enjoy heaven after they die, but they don’t want to be heavenly-minded while they live.
ERWIN LUTZER
I had not seen Moody’s point clearly before: If the unregenerate person must choose, he’d prefer heaven over hell, but loves the world most of all. After all, humans are driven by our fallen desires, which are most easily satisfied by the world; we prefer our natural state. The unconverted love the world, thinking they are in charge when, in fact, they are slaves to it.
But blessed are those whose desires have been transformed into a love for God and His gift of salvation. We desire heaven over the world, and shun hell’s suffering because we would miss God’s presence for eternity. No matter how beautiful heaven might be, without the presence of God, it could never satisfy us. Eternal fellowship with God makes heaven a place of uninterrupted bliss and fulfillment.
Do we prefer this world to heaven? Do we love God as much as Paul, who preferred to die and be with Christ than to live in this world? (Philippians 1:21–23).
PRAYER
Father, shift my desires to prepare for the life to come, living with thanksgiving and worship.REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Are you more excited about heaven itself, or about being with God forever? What does your answer reveal about your heart?
How have you noticed your desires changing since becoming a believer?