Listen

From that time Jesus began to announce, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of heaven!”

Matthew 4:17

Think

I have a few places in my world that I could say, “This is heaven!” As I’m writing this, I’m actually traveling on my way to one of those places that feels as close to heaven as I can imagine. What makes heaven heaven? Have you ever thought about that? When you picture heave, would there be aspects of your life that you’d want included? Would there be places you’d want to include in your own vision of heaven?

We often think of heaven as some place we go towards at the end of life. However, Jesus loved the idea that heaven was already in our midst if we could just change our hearts and lives. Heaven could be right here, right now! Jesus doesn’t want us to wait until we die to see heaven; he says, it’s coming right at us! Sometimes going to this place I’m heading to helps me change my heart so I can remember heaven is very near. What might you change in your life to help you see that heaven can be right here and now?

Jeremy Wilhelmi

Pray

Loving God, help me change what I need to change so that I can see heaven up close.

Help me also find ways to help bring heaven near to those close to me.

Amen.

Go

God places within each of us the light of life and love.

May that light warm you with God’s presence when you are alone.

May that light guide you when you can’t see the way.

May that light encourage you to shine brightly so that others might see the light God has placed within them.