There Had Better Be a Heaven

An interviewer asked the prominent atheist Richard Dawkins, "How do you prepare for death in a world where there isn't a god?" He replied, "We had better live our life to the full while we have it, because there is nothing after it." Without offering any evidence for his belief, he continued by saying, "We are very lucky accidents" who simply "ought to use our brief time in the sunlight to maximum effect."

What could be more depressing than to disbelieve in Heaven? Why would anyone choose to believe there is no hope beyond the grave? After all, there are logical reasons to believe in Heaven.

Nature suggests it. Jesus compared death and resurrection to a buried seed that springs up alive and fruitful (John 12:23-26). If we weren't so familiar with the process, we would call it a miracle every spring when a billion dormant flowers emerge from the cold ground. Natural wonders suggest supernatural realities and point to the potential for life after death.

Mercy demands it. Christians don't believe in Heaven for our own sake alone, but also for others we love. If there's no Heaven, the blind will never see. The deaf will never hear. The lame will never walk. The hungry will never be satisfied. The poor will always be deprived, the chronically depressed will never find relief, the lonely will remain forever isolated, and outcasts will pass into oblivion knowing nothing but rejection. Without Heaven, love loses and cynicism wins. If we care about others, don't we desire eternal blessings for them? And would the God of love provide any less?

Emotional health requires it. Without Heaven, there's no reason to smile at a funeral, no rational way to comfort the sorrowing soul who grieves for a dying friend. Simply gone is the baby who died before he had a chance to grow up. Forever departed is the aged saint who devoted her life to serving others. Without Heaven, burdens will never be lifted, problems will never be solved, frustrations will never go away, and there's no future reward to enjoy. Without the hope of Heaven, the ancient philosopher was right in Ecclesiastes when he observed that everything is meaningless and vain.

The Bible teaches it. The most compelling reason to believe in Heaven is the unflinching testimony of God's Word. Jesus never lied about anything, and he spoke confidently about Heaven and pointed the way through his own resurrection from the dead. The existence of Heaven is as sure as Jesus' promise, "I am going there to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2).

The reality of Heaven weaves its way from Genesis to Revelation. Intelligent men like Ezekiel, Paul, and John were granted glimpses of Heaven that sparkle with color and light, mystery and majesty—complete with gates of pearl, streets of gold, and a river clear as crystal. It's an amazing place provided by amazing grace—an environment that's pain-free, sin-free, and death-free. It's a place without weeping because no one will need to grieve, a place without darkness because no one will need to hide.

My head says there had better be a Heaven, and my heart longs to make it my home. Thankfully the Bible assures me Heaven is real. So during my "brief time in the sunlight," I choose to trust God's promises—until I cross the great divide and behold the glory, undimmed by human tears.