Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.
John 17:24.
In these words of the Lord Jesus Christ there lies a tremendous promise which means everything to true believers. They live in the joyful expectation of its fulfilment; and countless believers before them have died peacefully in their assurance of it.
What is so particular about the Lord’s wish that He tells His Father with such certainty in this prayer? Nothing less than the fact that all who believe in Him shall one day share the glory of heaven with Him. Presumably you grasp the extraordinary significance of this fact at once: mortal beings are to enter God’s heaven!This makes many stumble. Is there really a heaven? Can the dead rise again? Can anyone live in this inconceivable realm beyond whose dimensions are unknown? Any amount of questions could be added.
Against any uncertainty or doubt on this matter stands the resolute wish “Father, I desire …” of the Son of God. That is sufficient. What do all the arguments count for that are based on limited human experience, thinking or research? What increases the annoyance of all who are concerned only about this life is: Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead and forty days later Himself entered the glory of heaven. These attested facts cannot simply be brushed aside.
If you wish to experience the glory of the Son of God with us Christians, you must put your faith in Him, as the Bible states. He alone is the way to the Father and His heavenly home.