Airports make me long all the more for heaven. No longer will we have the dreaded anticipation of benedictions and farewells; no longer will we have to worry about days and years or any other measurement of time. There, all whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life “shall reign for ever and ever” (Rev. 22:5).

We will be forever united with the great heroes of faith. Hollywood has pricked our imaginations with movie scenes of some of the Biblical accounts. But these stories will never be more alive then when we hear them retold by the eyewitnesses. Wouldn’t you love to listen to Moses describe the crossing of the Red Sea or Peter tell about the transfiguration? Wait and see.

We will be forever united with our loved ones who’ve gone ahead. I never knew my grandfather, William T. Lay. He died when I was very young. I know him only through his reputation of being a good, godly man. I want to sit in PaPaw’s lap in heaven and thank him for giving me my mother. Death has parted us temporarily; life will join us eternally.

We will be forever united with those who are now near to us. There is a special place in my heart reserved for the brethren in Timmins, Ontario, Canada and those in other places. I may never see some of them again on this side of heaven. Should that be the Lord’s will, we have another meeting place on the other side, just inside the gate. Then, we’ll have all the time we want.

We will be forever united with the Lord. “God Himself shall be among them” (Rev. 21:3). And with His own hand, He will wipe away every tear, every sorrow, ever pain. There will be no more death and no more separation. “Our Father in heaven” will simply be “our Father.”

Brother Bowman is right; “if you miss heaven, you’ve just missed all there is.” This time, I won’t mind flying away.