When travelling, whether it’s daily to work, on the bus, in an uber, on a train, or on vacation to an exotic island, we anticipate the end of the journey to reach our destination. We hear the driver, pilot, or conductor announce our arrival so that we can be ready to depart our transport with a sense of relief. Remember the age old childhood question, “Are we there yet, are we there yet?”
Some time back I wrote a sermon on Heaven, and how God describes the final destination for those who love Him. The Bible’s portraiture is beyond our comprehension, a mystery, but still gives us a glimpse of hope in which we can cling fast while we wait. This world gives us only a half picture of the magnificence of the new Jerusalem. We tend to imagine the depths of Heaven according to the natural view of this world, but it’s impossible. Earth has only whet our appetite with the splendor and majesty of the mountains, the sky, the rivers, and natural wonders, but Heaven is so much more.
“Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4
We can not articulate, but only speculate the hope, joy and comfort of being in the presence of God.
“And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.” Revelation 21:10-11
“And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper (opaque variety of silica, red, brown yellow or green), the second sapphire (most precious and valuable blue stone due to its color, hardness, durability and luster), the third a chalcedony (microcrystalline type of quartz), the fourth an emerald; The fifth sardonyx (reddish-brown veined gem), the sixth sardius (first stone in the High Priests breastplate, a reddish stone), the seventh chrysolyte (yellowish-green or gold gemstone), the eighth beryl (alluring and popular blue to blue-green gemstone), the ninth a topaz (brown to yellow in it’s natural state), the tenth a chrysoprasus (apple-green to deep green with flecks of nickle), the eleventh a Jacinth (orange-red transparent zircon, also flower of reddish-blue or deep purple), the twelfth an amethyst (primary hues are light pinkish-violet to deep purple). And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” Revelation 21:19-21
This is hard to imagine, but the closest thing I can compare these colors to would be the Aurora Borealis, much like the picture above. Maybe that is God’s way of letting us know He’s always near. Like the Rainbow. Nothing that you may be experiencing now, either pleasurable or relentlessly wearisome, can be compared to the glory of eternity. The joy, the light, the heat, the happiness, and sheer delight we will experience in Heaven.
“Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD SHALL BE THINE EVERLASTING LIGHT, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” Isaiah 60:20
No longer will we struggle with depressing circumstances, from morning to night, lack of sleep or any other life situations. The Lord himself will be our light for all of eternity.
The cares of this world can be overwhelming at times, yes. And often it’s easy to become entangled in them wondering what will happen next. But, let us be reminded of what is to come for us in the not too distant future, Heaven!
On a journey of Healing and Hope with you,
Terri Lynne