Renovation
Opening Prayer
Father God, I praise You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit to teach, lead and live within me.
Read REVELATION 21:1-8
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
[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, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live 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 him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. [7] He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. [8] But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What do you think is most distinctive about this new earth?In contrast to Babel or Babylon which built themselves skyward to try and compete with God, now we see a city coming down to earth, already perfectly made by God.
What will be the defining feature of this city? The proverbial streets of gold perhaps? No, it’s surely that this is the place where God will dwell with his people (3).
This encapsulates a theme woven through the entire warp and woof of Scripture. Why did God, already perfect in community as Trinity, with no need of human company or contact, decide to create a man and a woman? To be with them. Why did God establish, then rescue, the Hebrew people for himself? To be with them. Why did God send his Son to save and redeem a Church for himself? To be with them. Jesus is Emmanuel—God with us!
Despite our sin and our unending tendency for independence this is a God who is determined to be with us. What a wonderful mystery!
Apply
God hasn’t chosen to mend us, but to completely recreate us (see 2 Cor. 5:17). What does that mean to you in practice?
Closing prayer
Lord, I marvel that You want to be with me, and at what You have done, and are doing, to make that possible.
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