When
We All Get To Heaven! The words to a number of hymns have been tinkered with over the years. One is “When We All Get To Heaven.” Some renditions change the song, and title, to “When The Saved Get To Heaven.” Apparently, someone thought the old version implied that unsaved people would be in heaven, so they changed it. I’m glad the older version in our song book. Although I don’t know anyone’s heart but my own, I like to think we are doing our best to serve God and we’ll spend eternity in heaven. Anyway, poetic license is taken with most every hymn, which means the words aren’t absolutely literal. The words to “When We All Get To Heaven” are: Verse 1 Sing the wondrous love of
Jesus, sing His mercy and His grace; in the mansions, bright and blessed,
He’ll prepare for us a place. In the remainder of this article, I want to share a few of my thoughts from this song. We’ll Be In Heaven Because Of Jesus “Grace” is the friendly disposition of mind to bestow a kindly act — undeserved favor. And “mercy” is the outworking of the gracious disposition toward another. Jesus didn’t come to earth, preach the gospel, commission the apostles, die on the cross, and resurrect to heaven because we deserve it. He did it out of obedience to His Father, and because He loves us. Because Jesus loves us so much, to take our sins to the cross, we love Him in return (1 Pet. 2:24; 1 Jn. 4:19). And because we love Him, we obey Him (Jn. 14:15). Like another old song says, “Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so. . . . Jesus loves me! He who died, heaven’s gate to open wide; He will wash away my sin. . . . Jesus, take this heart of mine, make it pure and wholly Thine; Thou hast bled and died for me; I will hence-forth live for Thee. When you get to heaven, it will be because of Jesus — because He loves you, and you love Him. Heaven Isn’t Like Earth Our labor seems endless, and within human terms, it’s vain: “What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun? A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever” (Ec. 1:3-4). But in heaven we’ll rest from our labors — heaven isn’t like earth. Paul says, “Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest. . . . For we who have believed enter that rest. . . .” (Heb. 4:1, 3). In one sense, we won’t rest till this life is over. In heaven, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes; “and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). When you get to heaven, it won’t be like earth. You’ll enter God’s rest and spend eternity with Him. Be Faithful, And Spend Eternity In Heaven Like another popular hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” In other words, trust and obey the Lord, and leave the rest to Him. When you get to heaven, one glimpse of Jesus will make the toils of life seem trivial. Be faithful until death, and Jesus will give you the crown of life — that’s what’s important in life. You’ll Rejoice In Heaven The apostle John reveals that the saints will be in heaven, worshiping God as they stand before His throne and before the Lamb. They’ll be clothed in white robes that are washed in the Lamb’s blood. They’ll have palm branches in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (Rev. 7:10). Can you imagine what it will be like to worship God as we stand before His throne, raising our voices to praise and honor Him? Will You Be In Heaven? If you died today, would you go to heaven?
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