I have a deep, passionate love of history. I have often dreamed of visiting the pyramids of Giza and the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt; the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Circus Maximus, Caesar's Forum, Palatine Hill, Aqueducts, Trajan's Column and Market in Rome; the ruins of Pompeii; and the castles of England. Having said this, one of my favorite places is The Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. It contains such history and beauty; I could sit for days and just imagine how it was when occupied in 1895.
All these manmade structures truly amaze me. How did the Egyptians build such grand tombs and temples without the modern equipment and machinery we have today? How did the architects of Rome design the convenience of fresh water in a city of millions and create such feats of engineering that still remain today? All these structures speak throughout time as a testament to times of great wealth and love of beauty.
As much as I long to see the wonders of this old world, my mind turns to another place that will be my home one day. If these great and beautiful buildings were made by mere man, what beauty is to be seen in Heaven, built by God's own hands? “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands (2 Cor 5:1).
The natural beauty we see all around us every day cannot compare to our heavenly home awaiting us. If I am awestruck by what man created thousands of years ago, how much more has God prepared for His children? 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered in the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” We cannot even imagine in our finite human minds how the infinite, eternal life will be in Heaven.
I often try to imagine the wonders that await in Heaven, but I cannot. Perhaps Heaven will be to each person the most perfect, peaceful place they love. My son longs for huge lawns he can mow. I long for a beach house, one of the most peaceful places on earth for me. (But I'm sure in Heaven I won't track sand everywhere.) It doesn't really matter what Heaven is as long as we're there with the Lord Jesus Christ. My grandmother once asked my dad how he thought Heaven would be. He answered, “I don't care if I have to sit on a nail keg as long as I'm there with Jesus.” It is for this prize that we strive - to be with Jesus. Make sure you're there, too.