The most precious gift I’ve ever been given is the gift of motherhood. More than anything I want my children to be in heaven. That’s why I’m sharing 10 ways to prepare your family for eternal life. I hope you’ll find some inspiration to use in your own home, family life, and even in family worship.
I originally wrote this post a number of years ago, but it’s still just as relevant today!
My husband and I have been talking a lot as of late about preparing our children, our family, our home for the Kingdom to Come. This isn’t a new topic. Over the years we have tried to instill in our children a love for God and for serving Him. But the idea has taken on new urgency.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21
“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.”
Do you feel it, too? This sense that we don’t have much time? That this world is coming to a close? That Jesus is really coming soon. I hear my children talk about growing up in heaven and it warms my heart. They want to go to heaven. I mean, really want to go to heaven.
More and more, when I talk to people, even people I would consider nominal Christians, I hear things like, “I believe Jesus is coming back soon, don’t you?” or “Man, things are getting bad, it won’t be much longer.”
Jesus is Coming Soon
Jesus said:
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
“Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” Mark 13: 28-37
Watch. Lest he find you sleeping.
I don’t want to be asleep! I want to be prepared. I want my family prepared to see Him face to face. I don’t want to be one of the multitude that cries out to the rocks to fall on me!
“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6: 12-17
Speaking of the Seven Seals of Revelation, did you know that the only one that hasn’t already happened is the Seventh Seal? We are in the last days. No question about it.
What are you doing to prepare your home for the soon coming of Jesus?
10 Ways to Prepare Your Family for Eternal Life
Here are some things we are doing in our home:
- Memorize Scripture
- Family Worship in the Morning and Evening
- Learn about church history.
- Listen to the Daily Audio Bible
- Spend time in nature.
- Make the Sabbath a Delight. It should be the best day of the week!
- Don’t underestimate your children’s ability to understand the deep things of God.
- Talk about heaven – often.
- Read the Bible together. Or read the Bible Story Books out loud.
- Pray together. Earnestly.
Today, over lunch, this was the conversation – totally not prompted by me.
“Mom, will we sleep in heaven?”
“Well, the Bible says that there is no night in heaven, but when we come back to the new earth after the 1000 years, I think we will have night time.”
“Then, how will we know which day it is?”
“Well, I don’t know, but I do know the Bible tells us that from one Sabbath to the next Sabbath we will come and worship before God, so somehow we’ll know.”
What I love about these conversations so much is that as silly as the questions may sound when repeated here, these questions mean my children believe heaven is a real place where we will live and have fun together!
Thank you, Jesus!
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