Keep At It

Posted under Uncategorized on February 6th, 2008 by with one response 

NR

In my Father’s house are many rooms. 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, thatwhere I am you may be also. John 14:2-3

What do you think of when you think of heaven? The Bible gives us a glimpse.

Golden streets and gates of pearls.
No more death, no more sickness, no more sin, no more sorrow.
No more good-byes, no more tears, no more time.
No more relational pain, no more pride, no more hurt feelings.
No more physical pain, no more disabilities, no more pills, no surgeries.
No more looking ahead, no more counting time, no more anticipation of the end.
(Revelation 18:16; 21:21; 21:4)

When Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us (John 14:2-3), we knew it was going to be something special. Yet in spite of what the Bible says about heaven, there’s still a lot of confusion about our final destination down here. Somehow in our culture of trinkets and trivia we have lost sight of the fact that though Jesus Christ immeasurably improves our lives here and now, our greatest days are yet ahead.

I don’t think we will ever get over the nearness of God in eternity.

Revelation 21:3 describes the scene yet to come: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”

When we get to heaven, God is no longer behind the veil, no longer present by His Holy Spirit alone. He is no longer across the crystal sea. He’s with us.

When we dwell with God we’ll be able to sit down and talk with Christ. And we’ll never run short on time. I’ve got some things I need to know. I’ve wanted to ask some questions for a long time. Like, what was it like to be the Creator of the universe, yet grow up on earth as a boy? And what was it like working at the carpentry shop? And what was walkin’ on the water like?

Then I want to understand the cross. I want to know what was on His mind when He gave Himself up like He did. The price that You paid . . .

I want to hear it all right from His lips.

Then I have a lot of questions about my life. Don’t you have your questions? Some that we carry around are very dark and painful. But we’re gonna sit there at His feet throughout all eternity. Our questions will be answered.

Wounded and battered by the struggles of this life, you will step into eternity and fall into your Father’s arms. And “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

The word tear in this verse is symbolic of life’s pain. Notice who’s going to wipe away the tears-God will. Jesus Himself will raise His nail-pierced hand to your cheek and look into your eyes and wipe away your tears. Every hope that’s been dashed and every shattered dream you’ve experienced–every time your heart was broken–all of the pain and anguish of life–will be eliminated, gone, wiped away. The things over which we silently anguish will be gone.

No funerals. No caskets. No tombstones. No sudden loss of loved ones. No heartrending good-byes. No more death.

The time we have left on earth is short. Eternity is long. Let this reminder stir you to keep at it till that day.

 

© 2008 Walk in the Word

On this day...

Leave a Comment

www.PurposeDriven.ca // Personal Ministry of Steve Kellar
Request a FREE ESV Bible