Thoughts Heavenward

One statement made by Ligon Duncan last month at the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology challenged me in a specific area of my Christian walk. As part of his introduction to his lecture on "The Eternal Glory," Ligon happened to mention that early American theologian Jonathan Edwards meditated on heaven twenty minutes every day...every day! I believe in my eternal home, but I rarely take time to meditate on the glory awaiting those who are redeemed in Christ. What a difference it would make in all areas of my life if I sent my thoughts heavenward every day, even for five or ten minutes. During a break, I asked Ligon what Edwards used for his meditations, and he said primarily scripture, but Ligon recommended Matthew Henry's Methods on Prayer as a good resource. The Valley of Vision also has a few prayers on the subject. If anyone would like to suggest a favorite Bible passage or book that would help me meditate on our eternal home, I would be grateful. I'll be posting more on Ligon's lecture in the coming days, but for now here is a Puritan prayer from The Valley of Vision:

"O Lord, I live here as a fish in a vessel of water, only enough to keep me alive, but in heaven I shall swim in the ocean. Here I have a little air in me to keep me breathing, but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales; Here I have a beam of sun to lighten my darkness, yonder I shall live in light and warmth for ever. My natural desires are corrupt and misguided, and it is thy mercy to destroy them; My spiritual longings are of thy planting, and thou wilt water and increase them; Quicken my hunger and thirst after the realm above. Here I can have the world, there I shall have thee in Christ; Here is a life of longing and prayer, there is assurance without suspicion, asking without refusal; Here are gross comforts, more burden than benefit, there is joy without sorrow, comfort without suffering, love without inconstancy, rest without weariness. Give me to know that heaven is all love, where the eye affects the heart, and the continual viewing of thy beauty keeps the soul in continual transports of delight. Give me to know that heaven is all peace, Give me to know that heaven is all joy, the end of believing, fasting, praying, mourning, humbling, watching, fearing, repining; And lead me to it soon."