Revelation 21:1-7 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 will dwell 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. (7) The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
Created to rule under God. Foolishly drawn into trying to rule apart from God. Graciously redeemed by God and given amnesty and adoption. Faithfully guided toward maturity, overcoming the rebellious spirit in the world and in one's heart. The result? A conqueror with a heritage.
Foolishness and struggle; that is what is familiar territory. Unblighted purity, conqueror of rebellion (inside and out)?? Wow. Sounds great; but so foreign. Shakespeare spoke an apparent truism by saying: "To err is human, to forgive is divine". At least from our perspective. But why are we more at ease with our errors and more content not to bother forgiving? Why do we care? The pure is what we were made for, and though we have grown accustomed to confusion, we are not truly at home with it. We were made for something better; we were made to actually be better. The gospel includes the promise that in Christ it is our future. Though it may stretch the imagination, it also tests the bonds of despair. Hope.
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