Today’s Scripture: Revelation 21:1-5
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”
Today’s Devotional
In our reading today we hear an angel say “It is finished!” That’s kind of what I want to say as we end our eight weeks of reading the New Testament together. It is finished! Thank you for hanging in there.
In today’s readings we get a favorite passage of mine. John is writing about the future and what life will look like on the other side. We learn in this text that the old earth has gone away. Thanks be to God! No more pain. No more crying. No more sorrow. No more pandemics. No more natural disasters. No more illness. No more depression. No more anxiety. No more injustice. No more worry. (I could do this all day…)
The fact is, living on this earth is hard. But we have something to look forward to: a new heaven and a new earth. And things are going to be different there.
Many commentators believe this passage tells us that God is going to make the current earth his home. In other words, “heaven” is going to be build here on earth. That’s why the city comes down. And that’s why the text says that “God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them!” But I think the most important part is that God is with us – living with us – no matter where that living is located.
I don’t know what you are going through today – but have courage. Your current situation is not permanent. There is going to be a new heaven and a new earth. With no more crying there.
This Week’s Immerse Passages:
Week 8, Feb. 22-28: John, 1-3 John, Revelation
Day 36 pp. 424-437 Joh 13:1-21:25
Day 37 pp. 439-452 1 Jo 1:1-5:21; 2 Jo 1:1-13; 3 Jo 1:1-15
Day 38 pp. 453-459 Rev 1:1-3:22
Day 39 pp. 460-471 Rev 4:1-14:20
Day 40 pp. 471-482 Rev 15:1-22:21
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