A Prayer about Being Homesick for Heaven

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Philippians 1:23

Heavenly Father, 

Loosen our grip on this world. 

Make us more like Paul, 

torn between remaining on this earth 

and going to heaven to be with Jesus.

In a word, grow in us a “homesickness for heaven.”* 

Make us like the Scottish pastor Robert Bruce, 

who read Romans 8:38-39 aloud, 

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, 

nor angels nor rulers, 

nor things present nor things to come, 

nor powers, nor height, nor depth, 

nor anything else in all creation, 

will be able to separate us from the love of God 

in Christ Jesus our Lord,” 

And then told his daughter, 

“I have breakfasted with you, 

but I shall have supper 

with my Lord Jesus Christ this night.” 

Make us ready, Lord, 

to go and have supper with Jesus.

In his inviting name. Amen. 

Read Philippians 1:18-26; Romans 8:35-39. 

*Quote and story from Derek W. H. Thomas, Heaven on Earth: What the Bible Teaches about the Life to Come)

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, 

We believe; help our unbelief.

We believe you have already come into our midst 

in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

We believe you are a mighty one 

who has already saved us from our sins 

through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But in the next line of this magnificent verse, 

we stutter and stumble. 

We think that maybe you will rejoice in us 

some day in the future 

when we are more holy, 

that you will love us 

some day in the future 

when we never sin again,

that you will exult in us with loud singing 

some day in the future 

when we’ve finally earned our way to heaven.

But that’s not what Scripture tells us.

The gospel good news 

for all who trust in Jesus

is that right this minute, 

you are rejoicing over us, 

right this minute

you are quieting us with your love, 

right this minute

and you are exulting over us with loud singing. 

You saved us. 

You love us. 

You delight in us. 

You sing extra-loud over us, 

like the five-year-old who loves to sing 

at the top of his lungs 

because he’s so happy. 

Help us today to sit quietly 

and listen for the sound 

of your delight in us, 

and may that delight 

change the way we live and love 

today and every day. 

In Jesus’ saving name. Amen.

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20.