Close your eyes. What do you see in the future looming after this life? Jesus promised a tangible reality. A higher reality. A supernatural reality. The reality of Heaven shining before us from the God who made us. Golden streets, crystal waters, luscious gardens, pearly gates. God fashions New Heaven with the most extravagant of resources. We are the ones He desires to welcome into His holy place.

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Revelation 21:3

Jesus destined us for glory. Heaven’s glory. Holy glory. Love’s glory. The glory of God’s presence with us forever. Jesus wants us to be with Him forever. We were made for this purpose.

God’s glory is the highest glory but He shares His glory with us so His people would reflect His nature. God designs us to be a part of His family. God needs a people who shine like Him, so He does the work of imparting His own glory unto us.

In John 17, Jesus prays to the Father in Heaven for us. His desire intends to give us His glory so that we can be one with Him.

“The glory that You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me.” John 17:22-23

When we shine with God’s glory, the world sees how Jesus loves us. This is His imprint on us. The mark of love. Jesus wants everyone to see how much He loves you. Return the gift and let the world know how much you love Him. He desires to be loved with extravagance.

“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

I love Jesus’ tender heart. His desire for love expresses itself unashamed. He wants us to see His glory because He has so much more beauty to show us than what He could show on earth. Beauty remains God’s invention and it makes sense that Jesus Himself would be the most beautiful of all, with an innate desire to let us see His beauty.

You were made to behold the beauty of the Lord.

You were made to share in the salvation of the Lord.

You were made to absorb the glory of the Lord.

God teaches us about His humility through His desire to share His glory with us. He is not a God who is intimidated by His creation. He knows He is God. We cannot take that from Him. So He freely gives He is not a God who is afraid to share beauty and honor. He has enough to share with others. God is giving, selfless, generous, humble, and honorable of everyone in His Kingdom. He shares His worth with His people. He shares His characteristics with His people.

“O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent Me. I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25-26

You know who God is. You who believe Jesus and His power… you know the miracles He has done for you. You know the stories He has unfolded for you in your life and all the moments you have had together. Why doubt Him? You know God’s heart. You have seen God’s heart. You believe God’s heart unto the end, no matter the consequences or persecutions that come your way. Make your love known to Him.

Jesus loves to make His love for you known.

“I will continue to make it known,” Jesus said.

Jesus repeats His love for you over and over.

“That the love with which You have loved Me may be in them,” He says.

Jesus wants to love you with God’s love. The King of love. The champion of love. The victor of love. The perfect love. God loves with power and kindness for all His people. Jesus feels the weight of love even now as He prepares to go to the cross and be taken by the chief priests. He knows that His time is coming to an end on earth and He uses every moment to pray for us.

Jesus always prays for you and intercedes for you. Jesus understands the gravity of your calling and what you will experience as you do the works He called you to. He does not assign you a mission lightly nor downplay the obstacles you will face. He faced them all. But He encourages us that He overcame the world, so we can overcome too.

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with Me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus knew the disciples would forsake Him when He was arrested to go to the cross. But He still remained faithful to them. He commissions them to take the gospel to the ends of the earth and set people free by the power of the Holy Spirit. We overcome the world because of Jesus in us. Jesus is always with us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

You overcome every battle because Jesus did.

You win every war because Jesus did.

You stand firm in every assail because Jesus did.

Jesus’ death and resurrection invites us into Heaven with Him.

Glory awaits us, with Jesus, the glorious One. His glory is unmatched. He Lordship is unrivaled. There can only be one God and Jesus remains the only One. He destined you for Heaven where He waits for you to be with Him. He made you for Heaven where the gardens of eternal glory anticipate your arrival. One day, Jesus will come back for us to usher us into this place. Until then, we bring Him glory by loving Him with all our hearts. His reknown is our purpose. His love is our lifeline.

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” 1 John 3:2