God, Our Eternal Home
Opening Prayer
Lord of life, I long to live in Your presence, to know and be known with unhindered intimacy.
Read Revelation 21:1-8
[1] Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. [2] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. [3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. [4] ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” [5] He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” [6] He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. [7] Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. [8] But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What is the greatest reality of paradise? In these last two chapters, the new creation is finally—and fully—revealed. And at once we see that the oft-repeated idea that we go up to heaven when we die falls woefully short of the Bible’s description. God is not just providing us with heaven somewhere up there, but with a whole new creation. And in this new creation, it is God himself who is our home, our dwelling place.Everything that spoils this present creation will be banished (4). It will be restored to the perfect and pristine state enjoyed before the fall—and even better! But above all, it will be the immediate presence of God that we will relish and cherish. At last our thirst for him will be quenched and the inner longing of our souls satisfied.John, in his Gospel, tells us how Jesus took on human flesh and “made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14—literally, “tabernacled/pitched his tent among us”). Now, because of Jesus, we can make our dwelling place with God (3). And it won’t be just a temporary tent; it will be a permanent home, prepared for us by Jesus himself (see John 14:2).In these last two chapters, the new creation is finally—and fully—revealed. And at once we see that the oft-repeated idea that we go up to heaven when we die falls woefully short of the Bible’s description. God is not just providing us with heaven somewhere up there, but with a whole new creation. And in this new creation, it is God himself who is our home, our dwelling place.
Everything that spoils this present creation will be banished (4). It will be restored to the perfect and pristine state enjoyed before the fall—and even better! But above all, it will be the immediate presence of God that we will relish and cherish. At last our thirst for him will be quenched and the inner longing of our souls satisfied.
John, in his Gospel, tells us how Jesus took on human flesh and “made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14—literally, “tabernacled/pitched his tent among us”). Now, because of Jesus, we can make our dwelling place with God (3). And it won’t be just a temporary tent; it will be a permanent home, prepared for us by Jesus himself (see John 14:2).
Apply
The apostle Paul wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Is this true for you?
Closing prayer
God, my heart aches for the time when every hindrance is removed and I am with You forever.
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