We continue with this window open to Judgement Day. For the believers there is great comfort in our promised protection. How can we be sure that we are included in this number? The devotion rightfully mentions Galatians 3:26-29 as proof. Here we find that assurance through our baptism - God's gift of faith to even the smallest of infants!
Beautiful words at the end of this chapter show us our heavenly inheritance Jesus won for us! Words often read at funerals that offer the only real comfort to the loved ones left behind - that no matter how much the deceased had suffered up to death, a child of God will "never again hunger; never again thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." What wonderful comfort to us while we live and suffer here on earth, in the great tribulation of today - that it is temporary and such a short time compared to our lives in eternity!
May our Christmas be defined by this priceless gift and treasured until the end!
2 comments:
I feel like I can hear Rachel saying this, but... "I'm a fan" of this entire passage.
I mean, who wouldn't be? Doesn't every single person on earth have the desire to live life like this: no tears, no suffering, no pain, no hunger or thirst, no homelessness, no discomfort, a guide and leader and provider? ...and I think many of these can be taken both figuratively and literally! (as always, step in and correct me if I'm assuming too much on anything herein!)
As a side note (but I promise it does relate), I have to confess I really enjoy Christmas carols. As a result (again another confession!), I have a hard time with the restrained joy of Advent...mainly because of how Christmas carols (and if I'm honest, other songs that are not Biblically based but treasured because of my own memories of days in the past) make me wanna burst into song (and dance too, depending) and let the floodgates pour out. Granted, I'm NOT saying I'm a scrooge and don;t sing, nor do I do so in public (yet), nor am I advocating that certain songs are appropriate to even be played (!) but I TRY to hold back for the sake of a self-check on my self-control. Anyway...
Why mention this (and how does it tie into our study)? Well, because I think Christmas is a dearly loved holiday for the very real and specific reason we've just enjoyed reading about in this passage and have committed to in this study: all the good, no bad. Songs by bands (and people that are clearly NOT believers in Christ's work on their behalf) will eagerly smile and wish for a world of peace and joy and love. I think of "My grown-up Christmas List" as a classic example:a world of no tears and no trouble; a world of everybody on the same page and happy to be there. In short, we all yearn for heaven. We yearn for the description we're given in this passage. So, yet again, our amazing, magnificent God can shine through even the grime and smut of our fallen world and its mixed-up lyrics and intentions and fallen-ness and still give us a glimpse, however marred, of what can be (and already is!) ours to seize: no tears, no suffering, no pain, no hunger or thirst, no homelessness, no discomfort, and all given to us freely by our guide and leader and provider, our Lord! We truly DO have SO MUCH to sing about! We, like those in John's vision, can sing out "hosannas" and cry out in loud voices as well but wiht much more than good intentions and wishful thinking. How much we have to praise! It just gets me geared up and tears me up a bit too. So yeah, I think I'm gonna be blasting O Come, O Come, Emmanuel after I post this, just 'cuz. Probably Koine style! ;)
Thinking about all of this is when I really sympathize with those under the altar (with fear and trembling) who ask "...how long...?"
May the words of Philippians 2 bring you joy and encourage you to join me in singing to our Lord and longing for his second Advent(NIV):
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
This day's reading really was filled with comfort and joy, and not so much confusion about the interpretation. I liked that. I'm a fan too. :)
cre8ev - "I think Christmas is a dearly loved holiday for the very real and specific reason we've just enjoyed reading about in this passage..." - I have never thought about this. And here is my confession: I have become more and more of a "scrooge" in recent years. The commercialism disgusts me, all the work to prepare overwhelms me, and the distraction from (instead of focus on) Jesus I see in the way the traditions play out - even if they did at one time have their origin in some sort of Christian symbolism - depresses me.
But your idea might just help me to take more joy from all the hubbub around Christmas this year - that we are (in a manner of speaking) making a celebration intended to party like it's nineteen-ninety-eternity! And this makes so much sense! Jesus' coming means that our eternity is a sure thing. So let's pretend as best we can in this sin-rotted world - just for a day - that there is no more hunger, thirst, homelessness, tears. Let's be filled with joy because the Lamb at the center of the throne is already our shepherd who shelters us with his presence and leads us to springs of living water!
To Him be glory forever and ever!
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