Heaven

I pulled this book off the bookshelf recently. I read it a year or so ago. Was it C. S. Lewis who said, "The only book worth reading is one worth reading twice."?

Apparently, according to Goodreads, it was Francis Bacon and he actually said, "If a book is not worth reading twice, it is not worth reading once." I have a tendency to attribute many bits of wisdom to Lewis so I'm glad I checked.

Anyway, this book caught my eye when I was looking for something to read before bed. I'm not surprised it did, because I have been thinking a lot about heaven. C. S. Lewis thought a lot about heaven too.

Near the middle of the first chapter of A Place Called Heaven we find a quote from Lewis, "This life is only a prelude to eternity."

Jeffress follows the Lewis quote about eternity with the final two paragraphs of The Last Battle. Both illuminate Lewis' thoughts on heaven.

Since you may not have The Narnia Series at your fingertips as I do, I am going to share the quote with you. It's a little lengthy for this short blog but well worth reading. If you haven't read the Narnia Series or haven't read it recently, it might be a good time to delve into those books. I'm pretty sure I'm going to give them another go. It will not be my second time visiting Narnia. I have been there many times before.

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly. "Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."

And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

Immediately following the above excerpt from The Last Battle, Jeffress discusses four benefits of being "Heavenly Minded".

1. Focusing on Heaven reminds us of the brevity of our earthly life.

2. Focusing on Heaven prepares us for the certainty of judgment.

3. Focusing on Heaven motivates us to live pure lives.

4. Focusing on Heaven places suffering in perspective.

It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day responsibilities, joys, and difficulties of life and forget this life is only a mist, a passing vapor. It will be over much sooner than most of us think we want. However, I am certain that once we are there, (I'm assuming most of us have indeed accepted the gift of grace offered to us by God through Jesus), we will wonder why in the world we didn't want to get there much sooner.

Perhaps some of us have already decided we are more than ready to go whenever Jesus calls us home, but since we are not yet in the thick of dying, it's hard to say how tightly we will hold onto this life when it is being pulled from our grasp.

How much easier it would be if the trumpet would sound and Jesus would split the eastern sky. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see the bodies of those we love, who have gone before us, rising to meet Jesus in the air? Then, up we go to meet Him and them! Maybe He will return today. Come Lord Jesus!

Whether it be today or many, many days before we come to the last day of our earthly lives, I think we would all be wise to take the advice given in A Place Called Heaven. Spending more time thinking about our future home will be time well spent. Praying about what we can do today in order to be better prepared for our life there and then following the Holy Spirit's leading will make each day more meaningful and our final day more peaceful.

Mom used to talk about Dr. Delgado, a professor at Bluefield College. She said he was kind and very encouraging. She also said Dr. Delgado used to say, "Heaven is my home but I'm not homesick yet."

We may get a little laugh out of that comment, but if we are honest, I expect many of us agree with him.

Perhaps learning and thinking more about heaven will cause us to truly "love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). Maybe it will deepen our desire to use our remaining time here differently. As we focus more on eternal things and less on the temporal, we are sure to find greater meaning and deeper joy each day. No matter how much time is left, it is only a short time. Let's use what we have to build up treasure in heaven rather than in the pursuit of worldly things.

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3

"This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11b

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

"Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown." Revelation 3:11

"But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers." 1 Peter 4:7

Mom with roses, circa 1972

Mom with carnations, February 2026

Murphy likes to play 'Cat Taco'.

Max resting with his buddy.