Faith 'n' Fiction Saturday: Heaven

Amy's topic this week is heaven. She's asking us to share our favorite descriptions of heaven. She is thinking of books and movies. (Though she does mention one Andrew Peterson song.) But for me, I think mostly of music.

I Can Only Imagine. MercyMe. I love just about everything about this song. Because heaven is so much more than we can imagine. We can't even begin to understand how wonderful, how amazing, how glorious a place heaven is. I think we get so caught up in living this life, in living in the here and now, that we don't realize that this life is just the beginning. That there is so much more awaiting us as believers.

Which brings me to, Not Home Yet by Steven Curtis Chapman. One of my favorite verses,

I know there'll be a moment
I know there'll be a place
Where we will see our Saviour
And fall in His embrace
So let us not grow weary
Or too content to stay
'Cause we are not home yet
We are not home yet
Not home yet
So let us journey on

There are so many Steven Curtis Chapman songs I could mention. Like With Hope.

And Heaven is The Face. If you haven't heard this one, you really, really should listen to it.

I could also mention just about any song on his Beauty Will Rise album. Like February 20th.

And See.

Here's a snippet.

But right now, all I can say is "Lord, how long
Before you come and take away this aching?"
This night of weeping seems to have no end.
But when the morning light breaks through,
We'll open up our eyes and we will see

It's everything that He said that it would be
And even better than we would believe
And he's counting down the days 'til He says "Come with me."
And finally he'll wipe every tear from our eyes
And make everything new, just like he promised
Wait and see, just wait and see, wait and see

Switching artists--lest you think I just listen to Steven Curtis Chapman--let's focus on Andrew Peterson. I love, love, love Andrew Peterson.

More. I couldn't find a YouTube clip for More. But here are the lyrics. (And a link to someone covering the song.) I love, love, love this song. I have played this one SO MANY times to help heal my brokenness.

This is not the end here at this grave
This is just a hole that someone made
Every hole was made to fill
And every heart can feel it still--
Our nature hates a vacuum

This is not the hardest part of all
This is just the seed that has to fall
All our lives we till the ground
Until we lay our sorrows down
And watch the sky for rain

There is more
More than all this pain
More than all the falling down
And the getting up again
There is more
More than we can see
From our tiny vantage point
In this vast eternity
There is more

A thing resounds when it rings true
Ringing all the bells inside of you
Like a golden sky on a summer eve
Your heart is tugging at your sleeve
And you cannot say why
There must be more

There is more
More than we can stand
Standing in the glory
Of a love that never ends
There is more
More than we can guess
More and more, forever more
And not a second less

There is more than what the naked eye can see
Clothing all our days with mystery
Watching over everything
Wilder than our wildest dreams
Could ever dream to be
There is more

After the Last Tear Falls. This isn't the official video, mind you. Someone has created a slideshow to go with the lyrics. But at least you can hear the song. And it's oh-so-beautiful.

And this is just about the only Newsong song that I love. But oh how I love it. Fingertips and Noses.

Up in the hills somewhere in Kentucky
In a little old school way back in the nothing
Where special kids born with special needs
Are sent to learn life's ABCs

Their teacher, Mrs. Jones, tells them all about Jesus
How in the twinkling of an eye He's coming back to get us
About streets of gold and pearly gates
How they want to go, they just can't wait
And she can't keep them in their seats
They're all at the windows straining to see

And it's
Fingertips and noses pressed to the windowpanes
Longing eyes, expectant hearts for Him to come again
All they know is that they love Him so
And if He said He'd come, He's coming
And they can't keep their windows clean
For fingertips and noses

She tried to explain to the kids about His coming
She tried to calm them down, but they just wouldn't listen
They just giggled and they clapped their hands
They're so excited that He's coming for them
And the first thing you know they're out of their seats
Back at the windows straining to see

Where will Jesus find us when He comes again?
Will we be like little children waiting just for Him?

With our
Fingertips and noses pressed to the windowpanes
Longing eyes, expectant hearts for Him to come again
All we know is that we love Him so
And if He said He'd come, He's coming
And we can't keep our windows clean
For our fingertips and noses

And then there is Rich Mullins' That Where I Am, There You May Also Be.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible