What’s the number one city you’ve never been to but you’d like to visit? There are so many on my list, but if I had to narrow it down to just one I think I’d pick Prague in the Czech Republic. Prague is supposed to be an amazingly beautiful city with a great mix of old world architecture and history, fabulous cuisine, and unique festivals that attract people from all over the world. It’s been on my short list for many years. But as with any foreign city, if I want to travel there I have to have a passport.

What about that far off city of Heaven with the pearly gates we’ve all heard about? What are we going to need to get in there?

When we take our last breath here on earth and begin our trek in eternity, the reality of where we’ll spend it will set in. It may seem odd to talk about needing a passport to get into Heaven, but it’s kind of like that. We can’t get into Heaven because of what family we were born into or what great deeds we did during our life. Yes, there will be rewards in Heaven based on how we lived our life, but that’s only after our passport gets us in.

Let’s not wait until it’s too late to understand how to get a passport to Heaven.

Revelation 21:27 says that “only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” will get into the city of God, which is Heaven. Our passport has to be registered in the Lamb’s book of life. Who’s the Lamb? Jesus. How do we get our names registered in the book of life?

By becoming citizens of Heaven. By believing that Jesus died for us and paid the price for our citizenship. By believing that Jesus is our Savior.

Just like in Jesus’ day, there are many people today who believe that they can get into Heaven by keep rules, saying certain prayers, going to church, or being “good”. None of these make us citizens of Heaven. Jesus Himself said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Become like little children. Humble. Sincere. Trusting. Believing. Loving. Growing. Devoted. Excited. Not worrying. Hoping and dreaming.

We can’t remain set in our ways and our thinking. We have to have childlike faith and believe without seeing. This doesn’t mean we should be naïve. It means we should go to God our Father with mind open and ask that truth be revealed.

Jesus said we must be childlike. Not childish.

Life isn’t about who has what or who has more. We can’t take anything with us when we head for Heaven’s gates. And we shouldn’t be preoccupied with titles and status and stuff. None of that truly matters in the grand scheme of things. What does matter is that we live with childlike curiosity and the desire to learn and grow. That we take our Father’s hand and hold tight as He walks us through the storms of real life. That we stay close as He leads us to amazing vistas seen only from the mountaintops of perseverance.

God wants us to experience life as citizens of Heaven. Let’s get our passport to Heaven stamped so that we’re ready when our name is called. A whole new world will open up here on earth as we live with new childlike excitement, knowing our eternal destiny is secure.

“‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.’” Matthew 18:3

May I pray?

Heavenly Father, we don’t often think about Heaven and what happens when we die. Most of us are so busy pursuing life on earth that we don’t consider eternity. But Lord, You don’t want anyone to get to Heaven and then find out their name wasn’t in the Lamb’s book of life. May Your truth resonate in our hearts today. May we climb over any walls we’ve put up in our mind that keep us from believing in You or Jesus or Heaven. May we come to You today with childlike faith so we can hear Your truth and receive revelation. Amen.

Q4U: Do you have a passport to Heaven?