This World Is Not My Home

Revelation 22:1-3 says, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.”

All the pain and suffering in the world and that we experience comes because of sin. When Adam and Eve rejected God, sin and its consequences entered into our world. Since that time people have yearned for something more than what we have on this earth. Deep down we understand that this place is not the home that we desire.

Heaven is the home that we long for because all the pain and suffering will be removed. Life, as God created it, will be ours forevermore. Live like you belong in Heaven. This life begins with trusting in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Through faith we are given new life, eternal life, and our citizenship in Heaven is established.

Gracious and Merciful

Humans are notoriously awful at judging the motives of other people. In fact, we can’t do that, because we only see the behavior and do not know the thoughts and experiences behind that behavior. We only observe the outward characteristics of a person and do not know the character of the person developed over time through a variety of circumstances and experiences.

In Exodus 33:19 God tells Moses, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” God chooses to reveal His goodness, grace, and mercy to us. It is His declaration of His character. We can observe His character when our hearts and minds are alert to see Him move.

That’s Not What I Meant To Say

I stumble over words that I say. Even when I have the best of intentions, the words I use may communicate harshness or disapproval. That is generally not what I intended to say. Gracious words are received joyfully and encourage the soul. Gracious speech patterns can earn us the favor of others and make many friends for us. Gracious words come out of a pure and compassionate heart.

Proverbs 22:11 says, “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.” A pure heart and gracious words will gain the favor of many people and result in many lasting friendships.

Disappointment

Unfortunately, people may disappoint us from time to time. They may fail to live up to the promises they have made. Or they may intentionally do something that hurts us. Even more unfortunate, is the fact that I have disappointed people. Often, I have not lived up to my own expectations, let alone the reasonable expectations others have for me. As Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) We may even fail to do the good things that we want to do.

Psalm 73:26 says, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Even when we give our full and best effort, we may fail at times. We may grow weary also at times. But God never fails and He will never disappoint us. When we trust in His strength, He will lift our hearts to fulness of joy. By His power, we can do the good things that we are called to do.

Joy Forever

Joy can be found in many areas of life. Some find joy in satisfying work. Others find joy in close and mutually beneficial relationships. And still others receive some form of joy in fame or wealth.

Isaiah 55:12 says, “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” Some things give us joy in the moment. Knowing God and walking with Him gives us joy forever as He leads us in peace. In eternity, our joy will be so complete that even the mountains, hills and trees will join us in joyful song.