No Night There

I'm not sure why, but I woke up this morning with the hymn “No Night There” going through my head (#730 in the old blue Trinity Hymnal, not sure what number in the newer red one). I haven’t sung this song in church in who knows how long, yet I easily recalled the words.

As I grew up, my dad would sing this hymn to us Pearce kids as we fell asleep. Its soft, soothing melody and rich, heavenward lyrics made for the perfect lullaby. As I sang it to myself this morning, I couldn’t help but smile and get a little emotional as I thought of Dad softly singing about what heaven will be like.

I look back on those moments now, and realize that this hymn was a perfect choice for my dad to sing to us kids – and not only for the lullaby-esque quality of the hymn. Its words, while meaningful to an adult, are simple enough for a child. Years ago while lying in bed, I would hear Dad singing this song and try to envision what heaven would be like –no tears, no pain, no night, golden streets, gates of pearl...

While looking at this hymn now as an adult, it has even more meaning to me. I understand the last verse even more now than I did then – the Lamb (Christ) is all the light in heaven – no sun, no moon. How great it will be when there will be no night because we will be forever in His presence.

#730 “No Night There”
In the land of fadeless day
Lies the city four-square.
It shall never pass away,
And there is no night there.

Refrain:
God shall wipe away all tears;
There's no death, no pain, nor fears;
And they count not time by years,
For there is no night there.

All the gates of pearl are made
In the city four-square.
All the streets with gold are laid,
And there is no night there.

And the gates shall never close
To the city four-square.
There life's crystal river flows,
And there is no night there.

There they need no sunshine bright,
In that city four-square.
For the Lamb is all the light,
And there is no night there.

Laying Up Treasures in Heaven

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-21

In the preface to his allegorical book on heaven and hell (The Great Divorce), C.S. Lewis states that “if we insist on keeping hell (or even earth) we shall not see heaven: if we accept heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of hell.” In other words, we can’t take anything from earth with us to heaven – whether it be earthly treasures that can be destroyed, or even our sins. Our eyes need to be fixed on Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

Sanctification is God’s way of preparing us for heaven. J.C. Ryle touches on this in his book Holiness. Ryle points out that most men hope to go to heaven when they die, but do many take the trouble to consider whether they would enjoy heaven if they got there? If heaven is a holy place filled with holy people and above all a holy God, it logically follows that holy people would be happy there. If we cling to the things of this world for our happiness and comfort, heaven will not be such an enjoyable place. But if our focus is on Christ, then heaven will be a glorious place indeed.

As we are made holier through the grace of God and the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is like a foretaste of heaven and the glory that is in store for us. We need the renewal of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and the atoning blood of Christ for not only justification and forgiveness of sins, but also for continuing sanctification and eventual glorification.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

Romans 6:1, 2