The following liturgy is made up of three scriptures which each proclaim the promise of heaven. The scriptures alternate with portions of Phil Wickam’s beautiful Heaven’s Song as a sung prayer response.
Canticle: Longing for Heaven
ONE SPEAKING: John 14:1-3 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
ALL SINGING:
Heaven Song
by Phil Wickham (CCLI #5653007)
You wrote a letter and You signed your name
I read every word of it page by page
You said that You’d be coming, coming for me soon
Oh my God I’ll be ready for You
I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song
ONE SPEAKING: John 10:2-4, 14-15 (NRSV)
Jesus said, “The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.”
ALL SINGING:
I hear Your voice and I catch my breath
‘Well done my child, enter in and rest’
Tears of joy roll down my cheek
It’s beautiful beyond my wildest dreams
I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song
ALL SPEAKING: Psalm 23 (NKJV)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
ALL SINGING:
I want to run on greener pastures
I want to dance on higher hills
I want to drink from sweeter waters
In the misty morning chill
And my soul is getting restless
For the place where I belong
I can’t wait to join the angels and sing
No, I can’t wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song
PDF version Canticle: Longing for Heaven
Compilation © 2010 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please contact Lisa for information and permission to publish this work in any form.
Revlisad.com 
My friend and colleague Nicole Sallee suggested substituting “In the Sweet by and by” for “Heaven Song” if you plan to use this canticle in a more traditional worship setting.
ALL SINGING:
There’s a land that is fairer than day
And by faith we can see it afar
For the Father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
ALL SINGING:
To our bountiful Father above
We will offer our tribute of praise
For the glorious gift of His love
And the blessings that hallow our days
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
ALL SINGING:
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
Amen. Your post bohrgut tears to my eyes.I’m sorry I didn’t post any, even though I said I’d try. I made a list, but I just didn’t make the time to do it. It’s been such a difficult month, especially the last week. Actually, it’s been a very difficult year. I’ve been struggling with a lot of things, too. How I long the day when we have no more sorrows and struggles and temptations .Thank you, Janet, for your posts and encouragement. You will be in my prayers.