Genesis 21: 17, 18
God head the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
--NIV
In the name of the One Who hears us in heaven, amen.
In the Gospel reading for the first Sunday after Trinity (The rich man and poor Lazarus), we see a conversation take place between heaven and hell. Our Lord God dwells in heaven. Heaven is a place. It is not just a different mode of existence as some have suggested, but it is a location. You and I are not able to point to it, we cannot see it, but it is a real place that exists, nonetheless. Moreover heaven is up, whatever that means. Heaven is always spoken of as being away from the center of the earth.
There are people in our day and age who teach that heaven is just a different mode of existence. But this doesn't track with Holy Scripture. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you." If heaven were not a place, then Jesus would not "go" there. The denial of heaven as a place is a subtle form of unbelief. It is a denial of the place where God dwells, and it leads to a denial of God Himself. It leads to a concept of God that is far less than the all powerful, all knowing, all present God. It leads to a God who is on the same, or a very similar level as us. But Holy Scripture is very clear that God dwells in heaven, and that heaven is "up." This is of the utmost importance for us as is seen by this passage. The fact that heaven is up means that God lives in a place from which He has a clear view of all things. Nothing blocks His view of what happens here on earth. Look at what that meant for Hagar, and think of what it means for you.
God heard Ishmael crying. He saw Ishmael's mother suffering, and called to her to reassure her. He blessed her and her son. For us it is no different. Ishmael was blessed because he was a child of Abraham even if he wasn't an heir. We are blessed too because we are sons of Abraham. The Lord looked down from heaven and saw our distress. He sent His Son to save us. Now He looks down from heaven and sees our needs and helps us by His Holy Spirit.
If the Lord did not dwell in the location of heaven, He would not have the power to rule things for our benefit, nor would He see what our needs are. But our God is the God of heaven. He does dwell there. He does know our needs, and he does rule all things for our benefit. May that fact help you through this day. All thanks and praise and glory be to our God who dwells in the highest heaven! Amen.
Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, we thank You that You have made heaven Your home. We thank You that from heaven You watch over and protect us. We thank You that You rule all things for the good of Your holy people. Comfort us with Your Holy Spirit, and keep us all the attacks of the devil, amen.