📖 In Genesis 28, Jacob dreams of a ladder connecting heaven and earth. 🪜 
Jesus picks up on this in John 1:51, saying angels will ascend and descend on him, showing how heaven and earth meet in him. ✨🌍
The concept isn’t about us building ladders to reach heaven ⬆️. Instead, heaven invades earth, with Jesus bringing heaven directly to us. ⬇️
As Christians, heaven isn’t just a distant paradise or escape.🌴 It’s God coming to us, through Jesus, who took on human flesh to connect heaven and earth. ✨➡️🌍
This connection doesn’t wait for us to seek it out; it’s delivered to us in real-time through Jesus's actions, teachings, and the promise of forgiveness. ✝️
Heaven, in essence, isn’t just a place “up there” — it’s anywhere God’s presence is, including in baptism and communion. 💧🍞🍷
Going to church, then, becomes less about an escape 🏃‍♂️💨 and more about finding strength and comfort in a world that often hurts.
When we gather at church, heaven meets earth, and forgiveness, grace, and salvation are offered right there. ✨🙏 
It's about accessing the “ladder” 🪜 Jesus reveals to be himself. ✝️
Church can sometimes feel ordinary — no glowing lights or dramatic miracles, but every time you enter church, it's a small taste of heaven on earth, where you’re reminded that God’s for you and with you.⛪
Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.
Contributor Matt Richard is Pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, ND.
#higherthings #lcms #lutheran #jesus #heaven