A Song for When… Your Heart Aches for Heaven
It seems like the more my relationship with Jesus deepens and the further He helps me mature spiritually, the more I think about what life will be like when He returns one day. In the midst of daily ups and downs, knowing that Jesus will return and make all things right changes the weight of my daily life happenings. Challenging things don’t feel quite as challenging because they’re just temporary bumps in the road. With eyes and attention fixed on Jesus and eternity in view, the troubles of the world diminish—in the light of His glory and grace.
A new song put out by Needtobreathe puts some beautiful and helpful lyrics to this thought! The song is called, “Highlands.” One thought from the first verse kinda sets the stage for the song’s message. It says:
Trying to find my place to lay my head … That’ll never be my home
And that’s the bottom line that is so incredibly beneficial to remember! As we walk through life, we are walking through a world that is not our home. Good times won’t last, but bad times won’t either. Nothing is permanent. Even seasons of rest are fleeting. Looking for somewhere to lay your head is, essentially, a fruitless journey because your soul can never be fully satisfied with anything on the earth as we know it.
It’s the chorus of this song that is so very helpful. Enjoy these lyrics:
We go down … We go down … We go down with our renegade ways … Trading Thy love for little wild lightning … Wondering why it never soothes the pain … So be my rest … Be my mountain … Be my never gonna pass away … When I go blind, be the voice I’m hearing … ‘Til we all get to see Your face … In the highlands … In the highlands
Ahhh life with Jesus one day in the highlands. I can’t wait!! What about you? Singing this chorus brings up some reflective questions for me.
- What renegade (or sinful) ways am I letting fester and grow in my daily life?
- How am I trading God’s perfect love for something imperfect and less satisfying?
- Where or whom am I looking to for rest? …and for soothing?
- When I don’t know the path forward, who am I turning to for answers, guidance and direction?
Of course, Jesus is the only One whose love can fully soothe my pain. He is the only One who can bring me perfect and complete rest. He is an imposing mountain of strength! His presence in my life is enduring, and one day, seeing His face in the highlands of the new heaven and earth will bring the deepest unending JOY.
The wait for that blessed, life-changing day can feel long. It can be easy to feel discouraged and maybe even hopeless. The world seems to be either going crazy or falling apart—or both! Maybe you’ve had seasons of life where you have turned to God, asking, How much longer?
Another part of the song speaks to this heartache for heaven:
Oh, how long how long will we be stranded … On this highway, nowhere else to go … Oh, how long until our feet are planted … On the Rock of Ages, ever known
Honestly, I think questions like these are healthy questions to ask. …mostly because in the midst of the pain that accompanies them, the longings rest on the sure hope of a brighter future. As believers, we don’t have to only ask God, How long? We can add onto the question, How long until I am dwelling with You face to face?
We do not live without hope. In our moments of despair, we can trust that God is working. We can rest on His promises, knowing that each day on earth brings us 24 hours closer to perfect fellowship with Him—no barriers, no hindrances, no obstacles, no burdens, no restrictions.
Life in the highlands will be absolutely magnificent. And every single minute that passes moves us closer to that beautiful coming reality. Will you live today with that in mind?