Heaven is the Haven of Rest

Heaven is the Haven of Rest

Written by: David Stafford

Heaven is the Haven of the Soul

            We have our safe havens to protect us from danger. Storm shelters and homeless shelters are just a few examples of safe havens that provide safety and security. These are great shelters that protect us from physical harm, but they do not protect what is most important, and that is the soul that never dies! Jesus said, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26). There is a place, however, that serves as a haven for the soul, and that place is heaven.

Heaven is the Hope of the Soul.

Faithful Christians cannot cling to anything this world has to offer. Fame and fortune only bring temporal satisfaction, but they cannot give us eternal satisfaction (Matthew 6:19-21)! We as Christians must set our minds on things above and not on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2). Christians must cling to the hope of heaven. Christian hope has two components: expectation and desire. Many have a desire to be in heaven, but only the faithful have the desire and expectation of being there! Hope motivates us to persevere when we experience trials (James 1:2-5), because hope is built upon the precious promises of God! As a result, hope is the anchor of the soul that is both sure and steadfast (Hebrews 6:18-19). We as Christians have a living hope, and that hope involves the Christian inheritance, which is incorruptible, undefiled, fades not away, and reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:3-4)! We are born of the Father unto a living hope when we obey the truth of God’s Word (John 3:5; 1 Peter 1:22-25). We as Christians do not live with false hope or a dead hope, but many in the world live with false hope. They believe they have the hope of heaven, but there is no hope for those outside the body of Christ (Ephesians 2:12)! Let’s consider the descriptions of this living hope. First, we expect to receive an inheritance that is incorruptible. Unlike receiving an inheritance that can decay (Matthew 6:19), this inheritance cannot deteriorate! Second, our inheritance is undefiled. It is free from contaminates. Third, it does not fade away. This inheritance never withers but stays in full bloom! Fourth, this inheritance is reserved to us in heaven! This inheritance is something we will enjoy for eternity!

Heaven is the Home of the Soul.

Heaven is home of the Godhead (Lamentations 3:41; Matthew 6:9; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 10:12). In addition, heaven will be home to faithful Christians who labor to enter that rest (Hebrews 4:11). Anyone who dies in the Lord will rest from his labors. John recorded, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Revelation 14:13). This world has defilement and destruction. We long for heaven, because the wickedness of this world will not be in heaven. “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27). Heaven is the home we desire to be, because it is a place where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13). It will be a place which lacks death; sorrow; crying; or pain, because the former things will be passed away (Revelation 21:4). James Rowe penned beautiful lyrics that describe the home of heaven:

“Home of the soul, beautiful home,
There we shall rest, never to roam;
Free from all care, happy and bright,
Jesus is there, He is the light!
Oft, in the storm, lonely are we,
Sighing for home, longing for Thee,
Beautiful home of the ransomed,
Beside the crystal sea.”

“There’s no place like home” is a familiar statement from the popular movie The Wizard of Oz. It is a statement that reoccurs often about the enjoyment of being back in our homes. Such a statement is applicable to the best home where God resides! There’s no place like the home of heaven, because we will be in the presence of God eternally! Our citizenship is there. Paul said, “For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:20-21, ASV). We long to be in heaven, because to be with Christ is far better (Philippians 3:23)! This world is not our home, but heaven is that beautiful, blissful home of the soul!

            Heaven is a beautiful, blissful place that will be a haven for our souls. It is the promise of heaven which serves as our living hope (1 Peter 1:3-5). Let us ensure we have made our reservations in heaven by becoming a child of God through obedience to the gospel (Romans 1:16), and let’s live faithful to Him as long as we live (2 Peter 1:10-11)!

*All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version unless specified.