The Best Thing About Heaven

The Best Thing About Heaven: It’s Not About the Place, It’s About the Presence

When you think about heaven, what comes to mind? Maybe streets of gold, no more pain, no more tears, or finally being at peace. All of that is true, but here’s the bigger truth: the best thing about heaven is God Himself. Heaven isn’t just a destination. It’s about being with our Father.

God Sees You — And Wants to Be With You

Deuteronomy and the Psalms remind us that heaven is God’s dwelling place, and from there, He sees us. He even forms our hearts and considers everything we do. Think about that — the Creator of the universe is thinking intensely about you.

As a dad, I see this reflected in my son Levi. Every day after school, without fail, he asks: “Dad, can we play?” It doesn’t matter if it’s ten minutes or an hour, he just wants to be with me. Isn’t that how our relationship with God should look? Not “what do I get out of this?” but simply, “God, I just want to be with You.”

Our Temporary “Tents”

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul describes our earthly bodies as “tents.” If you’ve ever been camping, you know tents aren’t exactly luxurious. They’re fragile, uncomfortable, and temporary. Honestly, I dislike almost everything about tents — setting them up, taking them down, sweeping them out, sleeping in them… the list goes on!

Paul uses that imagery on purpose. Our bodies are temporary, fragile “tents.” But one day, God has promised us a permanent home — an eternal “building from God.” That’s our resurrection body. Indestructible. Eternal. No more groaning.

A Deposit of What’s Coming

And here’s the amazing part: God has already given us a deposit — His Spirit. Think about what a deposit means. If you put money down on a house, it’s not the end, it’s the beginning. It’s a promise that something greater is coming.

That’s what the Holy Spirit is for us. A guarantee. God saying, “I’m not finished yet. This is just the start.” While we wait, our role is to live by faith, to please Him, and to bring others along into that same hope.

Why Our Choices Matter

Paul also reminds us that one day we’ll all stand before Christ. Not to scare us, but to emphasize that our daily choices matter. Heaven isn’t just about someday; it’s about how we live right now. If we really believe the greatest joy is being with God, then love should compel us to share that with others.

And if we struggle to share our faith? Maybe it’s not a courage problem — maybe it’s a gratitude problem. Maybe we’ve forgotten how good it really is to be in God’s presence.

Jesus Is Preparing a Place

In John 14, Jesus says He’s preparing a place for us — a place with many rooms, designed for His people. It’s personal. It’s relational. It’s not just “Heaven is beautiful,” it’s “Heaven is being with Jesus forever.”

The Big Takeaway

So here’s what I hope you remember:

• Heaven isn’t about paradise. It’s about presence.

• God sees you, knows you, and wants to be with you.

• This life is temporary, but what’s coming is eternal.

• The Holy Spirit is God’s down payment that the best is yet to come.

• Our aim right now? To live in a way that pleases Him and invites others to experience that same joy.

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I don’t know about you, but that makes me long for heaven in a different way. Not just as an escape from this broken world, but as the moment we finally get to dwell with God with nothing in the way.

Let’s live today in light of that promise.

— Associate Pastor James Terhune