Scriptural Reference:
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:24-29

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:6–11

He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; [4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. "
Revelation 21:1-4

Reflection:
I find it sad how often I encounter Christians who are facing the end of their life and are angry. As if by their anger they can somehow prolong their life. Fighting against the very fact that they will be going home to be with the Lord. I knew a man who was dying of cancer and when asked if he was looking forward to meeting Jesus face to face he became upset. Saying that he would rather stay alive then do that. Where was his love for his faith? What was he sowing the world by his attitude when faced with death. Even the unsaved hate death. Our faith in the Gospel and our promise of life after death should set us apart from the world. Giving hope through the precious promise of the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.

Okay, so what makes heaven well heavcen and special? It's a beautiful place primarily where God dwel. A sacred and pure place in the biblical tradition: a parallel realm where everything operates according to God's will. Heaven is a place of peace, love, community, and worship, where God is surrounded by a heavenly court and other heavenly beings.

So lets look closer at some of the things that heaven is.

Heaven exists as a location. Acts 1:6–11 records Jesus' ascent to heaven, signifying His translocation from this world (earth) to this other (heaven). Furthermore, according to John 20:24–29 and 1 Corinthians 15, Jesus maintains a physical human body even after His resurrection—albeit one that is exalted by the Holy Spirit. Physical items are localised in a certain place because they are located in both space and time. Jesus will return from heaven on the last day to bring about the ultimate resurrection and judgement (1 Thess. 4:16). He will travel from one place (heaven) to another (earth) in his exalted body.

The location of God's throne is in heaven. The location of God's throne is frequently described in the psalms as heaven (Ps. 9:7; Ps. 11:4; Ps. 103:19). We recognise that, in part, this is a metaphor indicating that God's unique dominating presence is most strongly felt in heaven because God is spirit and does not have a physical body (John 4:24). Still, it would be inaccurate to suggest that God is purely spiritual. Because it is a component of the human nature that is joined to the divine nature in the one divine person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God has had a physical body since the incarnation more than two thousand years ago. Thus, since the incarnation, a large number of references to God's throne (e.g., see Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:1–3) can be interpreted as referring to a real place where Christ is seated on high. As promised to Christ for all eternity, this throne is essentially the throne of David's kingdom (Luke 1:32–33). Stated differently, David's kingdom has become the kingdom of God via Christ.

Paradise is where the spirits of adherents go when they pass on. Paul expected in Philippians 1:23 that when he kicked the bucket, he would be "with Christ." Since we realize that Jesus is by and by in paradise, this should imply that devotees to Christ go to accompany Him in paradise when they bite the dust. Essentially, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 expresses that to be "away from the body" is to be "home with the Ruler." Once more, in the event that the Master Jesus Christ is by and by in paradise, at death we are in paradise. In particular, our spirits, "missing from the body," go to paradise, where we will partake in a proceeding with cognizant presence while we anticipate the restoration. " The spirits of adherents are at their demise made wonderful in sacredness, and do quickly pass into greatness; what's more, their bodies, being as yet joined to Christ, do rest in their graves till the revival".

Paradise is where devotees are by and by situated with Christ. Albeit the Book of scriptures is evident that the spirits of adherents go to accompany Christ in paradise when they pass on, there are likewise texts that say Christians have proactively been situated with God "in the grand spots in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:6). Since devotees who have not passed on are as of now on the earth, this should be a positional reality. As such, despite the fact that we are not genuinely present in paradise this moment, we are there active. We are to see ourselves as previously controlling and ruling close by Jesus by right regardless of whether we have the full acknowledgment of that we would say. This is an extraordinary consolation to purification. We may not be administering over countries presently, however with Christ, we as of now sit with Him over wrongdoing and different rulers and specialists incapacitated by the cross of Jesus (see Col. 2:13–15). At the point when Romans 6:12 tells us to "let not sin subsequently reign in your human body," we truly can, by the force of the Essence of God, comply with this order. Sin has no genuine territory over us and activities such domain just to the degree that we permit it. In this way, let us not permit sin to reign in us.

Paradise won't endure forever. The current region of paradise, where Jesus sits on His lofty position and devotees who have passed on partake in His presence, is only brief regarding the full extent of history. At some point, Disclosure 21:1-22:5 makes sense of, God will bring "another paradise and another earth." Paradise and earth will be brought together, and we will live there with our Maker perpetually, seeing Him up close and personal. A definitive expectation isn't the obliteration of creation however its full reestablishment and rebuilding (see likewise Isa. 65:17–25; 2 Peter 3:13).

So all in all heaven is an amazing place. A place where Christians are to live eternally with our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ. As well as with God our Father and Creator. So maybe someone can tell me why so many Christians want to cling to this life? I'm not suggesting we should become fattalistic or suicidal. But we can at least view death in a completely and entirely different light to how the world views it.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father
While I live and breathe
I pray that my focus will,
Always be on you,
Always be on the Gospel,
Always be on the lost.
For this is my calling.

May I never become
Depressed by deaths sting,
Depressed by lost loved ones,
Depressed by the worlds fears.
For my future home is with you.

Amen