Good day dear friends.
We shall wander no longer was our theme for Sunday, with the idea of home being that when we enter a loving, trusting relationship with God, we're home! We've discussed several passages in scripture that have talked about that and today we're going to the last book of the Bible.
Here is a passage from Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then 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 as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (NRSV)
It has always been God's desire to "dwell" or to have a "home" with humanity. We saw that in Genesis as part of the creation, placing the man and the woman in the garden to have a full relationship with them. It was our disobedience that took us away from that, and we find the rest of the story to be one of humans trying to get close to God, then falling away, they cry out to the Lord, the Lord God sends a prophet with a message of reconciliation, the people get close to God, they fall away, etc. It's a cycle. It is not until the opening of Matthew's Gospel that we find God acting with the final revelation, that of sending His son to bring ultimate reconciliation with God through the gift of salvation. And this sets in motion God's message that God wants us all home. Jesus shares with us in John 14 that He is preparing a place for us so that where He is, we will be also.
Is is a shock to read these words from Revelation 21? God creates a new heaven and a new earth. God prepares a new Jerusalem for a wedding, where Christ marries the Church. And this new home is where God wants us. God will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain. The perfectness of God's original intention is restored, as we will be restored. We will be home. Indeed, Jesus is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
For now our home is in our daily walk with God. Do we will our lives in ways that show we love and trust God? Do we help others know that God loves and cares for us all and desires us home with Him? That's our purpose and our mission, and with God's help we can carry that out.
PRAYER: God of the eternal home, help us to be at home with you in our spiritual walk with You. Let my life show to others that You want everyone to come home. Let me be faithful in sharing You. I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We shall wander no longer was our theme for Sunday, with the idea of home being that when we enter a loving, trusting relationship with God, we're home! We've discussed several passages in scripture that have talked about that and today we're going to the last book of the Bible.
Here is a passage from Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then 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 as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (NRSV)
It has always been God's desire to "dwell" or to have a "home" with humanity. We saw that in Genesis as part of the creation, placing the man and the woman in the garden to have a full relationship with them. It was our disobedience that took us away from that, and we find the rest of the story to be one of humans trying to get close to God, then falling away, they cry out to the Lord, the Lord God sends a prophet with a message of reconciliation, the people get close to God, they fall away, etc. It's a cycle. It is not until the opening of Matthew's Gospel that we find God acting with the final revelation, that of sending His son to bring ultimate reconciliation with God through the gift of salvation. And this sets in motion God's message that God wants us all home. Jesus shares with us in John 14 that He is preparing a place for us so that where He is, we will be also.
Is is a shock to read these words from Revelation 21? God creates a new heaven and a new earth. God prepares a new Jerusalem for a wedding, where Christ marries the Church. And this new home is where God wants us. God will wipe away every tear, there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain. The perfectness of God's original intention is restored, as we will be restored. We will be home. Indeed, Jesus is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
For now our home is in our daily walk with God. Do we will our lives in ways that show we love and trust God? Do we help others know that God loves and cares for us all and desires us home with Him? That's our purpose and our mission, and with God's help we can carry that out.
PRAYER: God of the eternal home, help us to be at home with you in our spiritual walk with You. Let my life show to others that You want everyone to come home. Let me be faithful in sharing You. I pray this in Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
