I've never been able to Imagine

Isaiah 54:11-17

As you read a book do you read the ending first?  Some people do, but I am not one of those, 

for me that would take away from the story.  God describes Jerusalem as a storm-tossed city 

that is going to be restored by the hand of God.  It will be a New Jerusalem, it will be what you 

and I refer to as future, and God describes it with great clarity in Revelation 21:15-21.  You 

can read the account in its fullness, but look with me at verses 18-21; “The wall was built 

of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the 

city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the 

third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the 

eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth 

amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single 

pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”  (Revelation 21:18-21)

Many of us who have traveled to many of the wonders of this world have never see anything close to what Isaiah is telling us about, or the vision God allowed the apostle John to see of the New Jerusalem.  1 Corinthians 2:9 states:  But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— In this city only the righteous will live, but it will not be self-righteousness, but the righteousness of the Christ.  It will not be designed for folks who have done great things for God, yet many who are there will have been used mightily by God, but the righteousness will come as an action of receiving grace and placing faith in the only Son of God, Jesus the Christ. 
Can you imagine a place of no worry, no fear, no strife, where God is the teacher of your children?  In the past, those who attacked Jerusalem were under orders of God, for God wanted to awaken His people to the sin of chasing after false Gods, but after the restoration their enemies will not be sent by God, and they will fail, for God’s hand is with Jerusalem, and it matters not if Satan himself is your accuser, the Blood of Jesus Christ has covered all your sins.
Are you looking forward to seeing and hearing what God has prepared for those who love Him?  This world is not my home, I’m looking forward to what I’ve never been able to imagine.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice