"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb....There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever....'Behold I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.'" (Revelation 22:1, 5, 7)
....a fitting end to the quarter, a fitting end to life as we only know it, for there is a life described in the Bible called, "life everlasting," and, "life eternal," a portion of which is described in our text. This is a little of what my Granddad must have seen when his last words were, "The other side is looking better." I pray, "The Lord grant unto [you and me] that [we] find mercy of the Lord in that day...."
Words are limited; only, "The Word of God," Who is Jesus Christ has no limitations. This is why Christianity goes beyond, indeed, is in a different "category," a different realm than any religion. A uniqueness of, "the faith of Jesus," is that the words of the bible, words such as our text, only make "sense" to the person who is in Jesus. No religion asserts such intimacy with the Godhead. Moreover, some gifted orators can perhaps bring us a little closer to "seeing" a little of what our text describes, but alas, it is still so far from our ability to comprehend. Even Paul's, "behold, I show you a mystery," is still, "a glass darkly." Maybe that is good. Maybe a little wonder, a little, I-really-don't-know, is good for all of us. Perhaps it keeps us, "Looking unto Jesus," and not "unto," well, anyone else.
To the proud today, I say, Don't be. You know nothing at all, that is, "compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us," which includes some of the wonder of our text. To the sorrowful, depressed, discouraged, I say, Don't be. That, "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb," Jesus, is yours, surely awaiting you. "I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (Jesus)
....a fitting end to the quarter, a fitting end to life as we only know it, for there is a life described in the Bible called, "life everlasting," and, "life eternal," a portion of which is described in our text. This is a little of what my Granddad must have seen when his last words were, "The other side is looking better." I pray, "The Lord grant unto [you and me] that [we] find mercy of the Lord in that day...."
Words are limited; only, "The Word of God," Who is Jesus Christ has no limitations. This is why Christianity goes beyond, indeed, is in a different "category," a different realm than any religion. A uniqueness of, "the faith of Jesus," is that the words of the bible, words such as our text, only make "sense" to the person who is in Jesus. No religion asserts such intimacy with the Godhead. Moreover, some gifted orators can perhaps bring us a little closer to "seeing" a little of what our text describes, but alas, it is still so far from our ability to comprehend. Even Paul's, "behold, I show you a mystery," is still, "a glass darkly." Maybe that is good. Maybe a little wonder, a little, I-really-don't-know, is good for all of us. Perhaps it keeps us, "Looking unto Jesus," and not "unto," well, anyone else.
To the proud today, I say, Don't be. You know nothing at all, that is, "compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us," which includes some of the wonder of our text. To the sorrowful, depressed, discouraged, I say, Don't be. That, "pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb," Jesus, is yours, surely awaiting you. "I go to prepare a place for you, and I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (Jesus)
Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You for what, mostly Whom, you are preparing me. Amen. ***********************
Please take a moment to pray for our Fall Mission to Berlin and Jerusalem, October 26 to November 26.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
