March 9, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“‘“Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with lapis lazuli. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children will be taught by the Lord,
and great will be their peace.” (Isaiah 54.11-13)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

In these verses (54.11-13) we are given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem. It was never meant to be the restored Jerusalem following their exile in Babylon and Assyria. It was not meant to be because that would be, as it was, a city built by human hands. The frailty of such construction became evident as the city is now just a wounded reflection of what it once was and the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. What we are given insight to is that city which is built not by human hands and will be eternal in the heavens. We first here of that description in Isaiah 66.1f and then again in Acts 7 and 2 Corinthians 5. We know from John 14 that Jesus said “In My Father’s House are many rooms and I am going there to prepare a place for you. When I am finished, I will return to take you with Me to where I am now going.” That image, of course, speaks to the marriage tradition common in the culture of the “Middle East.” As we know for the moment, that construction must still be ongoing because Jesus has not returned. Maybe it is ongoing because the Church remains effective in preaching the gospel and fostering discipleship as He commissioned it and us so to do! But the image given of such detail and jeweled craftsmanship show stop us in our tracks. I wonder how long it will take before we get over the “awe and wonder”? My hunch is “never.” This is what our eternal “resting” place will look like and what it will be like is authentic peace where we will continue to learn about the height, depth, breadth and volume of God’s love. Perhaps that is why “hallelujah” is most often pronounced “AHHH-lelujah!”

What does this mean to us? It should mean the same as it did to those who were in exile both foreign and domestic. God’s promises are true. His desire for us is pure. His love for us is without question. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are far beyond our thoughts. Even when we see the new Heaven and Earth and the new Jerusalem, I think we will still be amazed. Yet, God’s offering is not to amaze us. God’s desire is for us to grow in every way into full maturity. Will we be a finished product upon our heavenly arrival? I have no idea. Even the apostle Paul spoke of “seven heavens.” What Jewish tradition meant by that and if it is scripturally accurate, I will not debate. That heaven is all and more, I will not debate either. Moving from finite to infinite, from everlasting to everlasting on the spectrum of alpha to omega floods my mind with more questions than answers. What I know is that if I can ask a question, there is an answer. I will never question God’s love for me. “He so loved me, and all others, that He gave us His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3.16, of course.) Isn’t this the heart and soul meaning of the gospel? And for those in exile, such grandeur spoke of such love to be lavished upon a people. Their gratitude would never match the grace by which they had received their redemption, reconciliation and renewal. The greater they may have thought they were from God would only magnify the gratitude by which they would express the wondrous gift of God. The reality was “it will come.”

Mighty ones of God, “It will come!” is our watchword. Especially in this season of Lent, we are called to be “on watch” because Jesus is coming to take us to be with Him where He is now working to create a place just for each of us individually and collectively. We wouldn’t want to miss it; so let’s don’t! Let’s be His disciples and continue to add to His work in Heaven with our work on earth liberating those who are bound on earth by the sins of the world. They, and we, were not created to be slaves but bondservants in Christ to worship and serve God and one another in spirit and in truth. Shalom.

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness which we know is folly but righteous works which declare Your glory and further witness the truth that can set all who believe free from death. So may we live by the name of Jesus our Christ.