How can we sing the Lord’s song on foreign soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy! (Psalms 137:4-6)
This Psalm was written while the Jews were exiled to Babylon. They sang to remind themselves that the foreign soil they lived on was not their home. They yearned to be back home in Jerusalem. And we’re no different. As it says in 1 Peter 1, we’re “elect exiles” in this world, longing to go to our real home, the New Jerusalem (Rev 21-22). And we should sing the same kinds of songs as the Jews did: “May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I do not exalt life with Jesus in heaven as my greatest joy!”
So is that the kind of song you’re singing right now? Does the current crisis give you a greater longing to go home to heaven? Or are you frantically trying to regain the security and comfort you had a few months ago (and, in effect, trying to bring heaven to earth)? The Bible says heaven is the new earth, which means it’s based on this world, but completely renewed. Scripture says heaven is our home, as in a comfortable place that you’re familiar with. It also says heaven will have islands, meaning there will be new places to go and explore. Our life in heaven will be full of joy, in other words, never boring. But it also says heaven will be a place of rest – from stress, anxiety, depression, conflict, confusion, tiredness, and tediousness. Because reigning over heaven will be King Jesus.
You won’t find all that here. This is not your home. So keep longing for heaven!