H-Heaven in the Real World-Steven Curtis Chapman

H-Heaven in the Real World-Steven Curtis Chapman

In 2011, I had the awesome privilege of serving with Christian Missionary Fellowship International, in Kenya for six months. I saw great things that were being done in a slum called Mathare Valley, in Nairobi, Kenya. I saw lives transformed, life renewed, children being given hope and a future.

Yet, in the midst of the hopeful things that were being done, I often saw hopelessness in the eyes of men, women, and children I encountered in the slum. Lives not impacted or transformed by the life changing power of Jesus Christ.

During this time, the song Heaven in the Real World was a song I could cling. I could echo with Chapman’s questions, “Where is the hope? Where is the peace, that will make this life complete for every man, woman, man and girl looking for heaven in the real world? “

I met a woman during my time in Nairobi who changed my outlook on faith and hope. Things were hopeless for her when I first met her. She had a one year old child in her arms that was emaciated. We gave her a food basket, and presented the gospel to her. She accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, yet my soul was downcast and wondered what would happen to this woman.

I met her a month later, and I no longer saw hopelessness, mixed with fear in her eyes. Instead when I looked into her eyes, I saw the color of hope that could only come from Jesus. I could exclaim with Chapman, “Jesus is the hope, he is the peace that will make this life complete for every man, woman, boy and girl looking for heaven in the real world!!!”

I later found out that her child four days before we visited her had died.

Yet, I saw in her eyes the belief expressed in the bridge of the song ,

“To stand in the pouring rain and believe the sun is gonna shine again

To know that the grave is not the end

To feel the embrace of grace and cross the line where real life begins

And know in your heart you've found the missing part”.

She found the missing part in her life: Jesus and held on to him in midst of unspeakable tragedy. I found in her a unshakable faith, proven its weight through the fire and the rain.

How has Jesus come and invaded your life, being heaven in the real world to you? If you haven’t accepted Jesus into your life as Lord and Savior, you can do so today. You can cling to him in times of joy, pain, and sadness, yet find hope in the midst of hopelessness.

Wherever you are in your relationship with Jesus, I urge you to begin holding onto him as if He is the only thing you truly have.

If you are just beginning on your faith journey, find wise woman of God you can share life with, to help you live out our faith. If you are longtime follower of Jesus as I am, live out your faith and bring Jesus, heaven in the real world, in the midst of your ever changing life to the people you encounter. Who knows? You may point people to Jesus, so they can discover heaven in the real world too.