Thursday, October 21, 2010

October 21, 2010

"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." Rev. 21:3-4
Who is the most impressive person you have ever met? God knows them all!
What is the most impressive thing you have ever witnessed? God allowed it to happen!
Where is the most impressive place you have been? God created it!
For a God Who knows all, does all, and created, how do you impress Him? What impresses Him?
Looking at Revelation 21 and 22 it is impossible to not be impressed by the glorious vision of Heaven! But I can't help notice two things that impress God.
First, it is relationship that impresses God! In the midst of all that splendor and glory it is people that excite God! He gets to dwell with them and they will dwell with Him! They will belong to Him and He will belong to them!
Think about how important relationship is to God! I am amazed at how much He values relationship with you and me! In the beginning He created a beautiful earth where He could dwell with man. And in the midst of that glorious creation which He had pronounced "good" - He crafted a paradise called Eden
After sin ruined paradise He began to form a nation of people He could call His people and He prepared a place for them to be with Him after they came to the end of their earthly journeys.
Now John tells us in this portion of Scripture that God wasn't content with Heaven, He will create a new Heaven and a new earth! He wants the best for His people!
Second, it is restoration that impresses God!
Heaven will be a place where paradise is restored. All that sin spoiled will be restored! A perfect place and a perfect relationship with a perfected people! What the first Adam lost the Second Adam restored through His sacrificial death and resurrection!
"God will wipe away every tear". Tears are the result of relationships gone bad or relationships rejected or relationships interrupted by death. Strained relationships strain the human spirit and cause tears to fall. Out Heavenly Father drying those tears is symbolic of the restoration that God will finally bring to His Universe! This is the REAL "new world order". God's order will be restored. His Kingdom will finally come and His will will be perfectly done for ever more!
So, while you and I are busy being impressed by Heaven God will be busy being impressed with us!
AWESOME!