Has a smell ever transported you somewhere?
Perhaps you catch a whiff of perfume or cologne, reminding you of someone from your past. The aroma of a particular dish may evoke memories of your childhood. Can you still remember the smell of a favorite relative's home?
Those sensory experiences can give us a longing for a different era. Similarly, we often have experiences as humans which tap into our longing for a world beyond this one: heaven. Phil Wickham talks about this longing in his song, "Homesick for Heaven."
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He wrote in the caption of an Instagram post about the reactions of listeners to this song: "Really moved by the stories of everyone who's been listening and connecting with 'Homesick For Heaven.' I've written a lot of songs about Heaven, but this one just feels extra special. I've never felt such a deep longing in my heart for the Kingdom to come, and it's so encouraging to see so many others feeling the same."
When I first started listening to Wickham's song, it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis. "Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. ... If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."
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Wickham's lyrics repeatedly point us to the description that Scripture gives us of life in heaven. For instance, his lyrics about tears wiped away echo the words of Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Wickham draws on the words of Jesus himself when he speaks about the capacity of heaven. "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?"
What makes "Homesick for Heaven" so powerful is not merely the multitude of Bible verses that Wickham echoes or the universal longings he taps into through lyrics. For Wickham this song was personal. The first verse opens with Wickham confessing one of his deepest longings.
"I wanna see my children run into Your arms And worship the Savior who wears my scars There's an ache in my heart I'm homesick for Heaven."
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In an interview with The Christian Beat, Wickham shared about how the line about his children running into Jesus' arms profoundly affected him.
"That image lit something inside of me—a deep ache and a deeper hope. The thought of my kids experiencing the presence, joy, and healing of Jesus—it undid me… Heaven isn't just a distant dream—it's the truest home, where Jesus reigns, sorrow is no more, and death is gone for good. That promise stirs me—not just for the future, but for how I live right now. I pray this song breathes hope into the brokenhearted and puts wind in the sails of those who are longing for more."
Wickham's longing for his children to know Jesus reflects God's own heart for the world. Once we taste heaven's hope, we can't help but want others to experience it too. That's the natural overflow of becoming the new creations Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 5. We become ambassadors for Christ, making His plea to the world: "be reconciled to God!"
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We are "Homesick for Heaven." When an athlete wins a championship, they celebrate, but a few hours later comes the inevitable question: "is that it?" The trophy sits on the shelf, but the emptiness remains. The achievement was real, but it couldn't fill the God-shaped hole in their heart. Or consider a parent who encounters God's presence in worship. Their first instinct isn't to hoard that experience. It's to look at their kids and think, "I want this for you." That longing to share something transcendent reveals we were made for more than what this world offers.
So, don't let your heart become consumed with temporary things or unimportant concerns, and don't be surprised when even the best moments leave you unsatisfied. Like Lewis said, you "were made for another world."
If you have lost sight of this truth, I pray that Wickham's "Homesick for Heaven" will remind you that this place is not your eternal home. Only in a life with Him will your soul be satisfied.
Scott Savage is a pastor, author, and speaker with the best last name in the world. Scott’s writing helps people transform difficult circumstances into places where they can thrive. He leads Cornerstone Church in Prescott, Arizona, and loves watching movies with his wife and three kids. You can begin Scott’s life-changing project, The 21 Day Gratitude Challenge, today.
