One of my favorite songs is the 1993 Grammy award-winning Tears in Heaven. It’s an intimate song that Eric Clapton wrote to help him heal from the loss and pain of the accidental death of his 4-year-old son. Rooted in tragedy and grief, Eric expresses the hope of seeing his son again. He wrote of a place beyond this world, a place beyond tears—heaven. This song has touched me deeply. Like Clapton, we face painful, heartbreaking moments in life—times that make us long for the day when we’ll cry no more.

Whenever heaven is described in a sermon, we’re told that it’s a place where God “will wipe every tear from [our] eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). One of the most comforting, assuring verses, we often hear it read during funeral services. Yes, what it proclaims provides blessing and comfort, but not the greatest blessing. The greatest blessing about heaven is that we’ll be in God’s presence: “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them” (Revelation 21:3).

Jesus assured us, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:2-3).

Our blessed hope isn’t just the absence of “death or sorrow or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4), but the very presence of our heavenly Father. It’s God’s presence that makes heaven heaven! One day we’ll all be home!

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 18:1-24