July 31 - Revelation 21:1-4

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

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. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 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. 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.”

The Revelation is probably one of my favorite books in Scripture and the last two chapters offer such great words of hope.

I look forward and anticipate a great many things in my life, but none quite as much as the moment when God and I inhabit His temple in heaven. When that day arrives, when God dwells among humanity once again and calls us his people, the transformation is complete.

We will no longer be aliens in a land that we have corrupted, but will be his people in a creation that is whole and uncorrupted.  He will walk with us and live with us.  We won’t fear his presence, but will embrace the joy and love that comes from him.

Not only will there be no more death or mourning, crying or pain; but all of the negative human emotions will be gone.  There will be no jealousy. There will be no anger. There will be no greed or selfishness. There will be no need for any of those things because of the completeness we will find in God’s presence.

The attributes of love found in 1 Corinthians 13, the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23.  All of these desirable behaviors will fill our lives and relationships with each other as we live in the light of the presence of God.

We will finally be home, where our hearts and souls have always yearned to live.

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