God has blessed me with a precious church in which the pastor is God-fearing and preaches the truth, even when it's not popular. The Village Church has been a saving grace in my life and I cannot imagine being a part of any other body of believers. It challenges my thinking, gives me a place to serve, allows me to hold sweet babies while their parents hear the Gospel preached, introduced me to profound community through home groups, brings me life-lasting friendships, and provided the avenue in which my eyes were opened to God's love for the African people. It is simply home.
Tonight my pastor, Matt Chandler, concluded our Advent series and I was overwhelmed by a specific text he read. He read from many texts in the Bible and said lots of convicting things, but this is what my heart held on to.
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He willdwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 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.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." ~Revelation 21:1-6 (ESV)
I don't know about you, but I am weary of the trivial things of this world. I am tired of the evil. I am sick of the sorrow and pain. I am worn down by the injustice. I am ready to be with my Lord.
I am overwhelmed at how amazing the new heaven and new earth, that the Father talks about, are going to be. Can you even imagine? Well, neither can I because our finite human minds just aren't capable of imagining such glory. To be honest, that's okay with me.
I am anxiously awaiting the day when He makes all things new. Oh, what joy!
