by Charles Spurgeon.
Philippians 1 23. I desired to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.
What would it be like to have one
hour in heaven? Not to escape trouble
merely, nor to walk golden streets for
novelty's sake, but to be where Jesus
is? That is the believer's greatest joy,
the sum and substance of all heavenly
delight. Paul did not long for death
because he was weary of life, but
because being with Jesus was better by
far than even the most fruitful life on
earth. The streets of gold, the gates of
pearl. What are these to me? My heaven
is to see my Savior's face and lie
forever in his embrace. In one hour in
heaven, the soul would drink more deeply
of joy than in a lifetime below.
Here on
earth, even the most blessed moments are
but sips from a thimble. There the
believer drinks from the river of God's
pleasures. All sin left behind. No more
weary striving against the flesh. No
more battling the darkness. In that
hour, holiness would not be a struggle,
but a nature complete, untainted,
radiant. Think of it. One hour of seeing
the face of Jesus. Not by faith, not
through a veil, but face to face. The
lamb slain yet enthroned. The wounds
still visible yet glorified.
That one
sight would eclipse every earthly
treasure and all former sorrows. The
mind would be filled with divine truth.
The heart would be consumed with perfect
love. And the will would be fully
surrendered in joyful obedience. No
distractions, no doubts.
No distance,
only worship, adoration, and praise. The
believer would be among the redeemed
from every nation, singing the song of
the lamb. Yet not one moment would be
spent drawing attention to self, but all
glory would be directed to the one who
bought us with his blood. Just one hour
in such a place would make every earthly
loss seem light, and every affliction
but momentary.
What holy motivation this
should bring? If an hour there is so
rich, then how can we live for the
fading trifles of time? How can we cling
to dust and shadows when the substance
awaits? Let us fix our eyes not on what
is seen, but on what is unseen? Let us
live not for fleeting temporal comforts,
but for the eternal weight of glory. For
one hour in heaven will soon be followed
by endless ages in the presence of our
matchless king.