Heaven Desired
O MY LORD, May I arrive where mean of grave cease and I need no more to fast, pray, weep, watch, be tempted, attend preaching and sacrament; where nothing defiles, where is no grief, sorrow, sin, death, separation, tears, pale face, languid body, aching joints, feeble infancy, decrepit age, peccant humors, pining sickness, griping fears, consuming cares; where is personal completeness; where the more perfect the sight the more beautiful the object, the more perfect the appetite the sweeter the food, the more musical the ear the more pleasant the melody, the more complete the soul the more happy its joys, where is full knowledge of thee.
Here I am an ant, and as I view a nest of ants so dost thou view me and my fellow-creatures; But as an ant knows not me, my nature, my thoughts, so here I cannot know thee clearly.
But there I shall be near thee, dwell with my family, stand in thy presence chamber, be an heir of thy kingdom, as the spouse of Christ, as a member of his body, one with him who is with thee, and exercise all my powers of body and soul in the enjoyment of thee.
As praise in the mouth of thy saints is comely, so teach me to exercise this divine gift, when I pray, read, hear, see, do, in the presence of people and of my enemies, as I hope to praise thee eternally hereafter.
—Valley of Vision
This Puritan prayer lifts our hearts toward the hope of heaven—a place where every sorrow, struggle, and shadow is left behind, and we are brought into the full joy of God’s presence. Here, we labor in weakness, tempted and worn, seeing only glimpses of His glory. But there, all will be made whole: no more aching bodies, anxious minds, or grieving hearts—only the fullness of life, love, and light. Heaven is not merely a place of rest but of perfect communion, where our deepest longings find their fulfillment in the beauty of Christ. Let this vision shape our prayers and praise even now, training our hearts to long for the day when faith becomes sight and love never ends. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics