At the end of time, when all history culminates in the final pages of the Bible, what will we find God doing? Spending time with His children. Making His home with them. Being together.
The idea that the eternal God desires to spend quality time with His creatures is one aspect of faith unique to Christianity. The fake gods concocted by human minds have always been far removed from people's daily lives. The gods of the ancient Greek and Roman myths had to be placated or feared. The idea of having a close, personal relationship with those deities did not exist.
Yet Jesus indicated that the desire of the entire Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - was to abide or make a home, with anyone who responds to God's love (see John 14:23). Jesus promised never to leave His followers and assured them that He would be with them forever. In one of Jesus' prayers, He said, "Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began!" (John 17:24). Clearly, Jesus desired intimate, quality time with all those who responded to His love.
Take time to pray and:
- Thank God for the invitation to be near Him: "Come close to God, and God will come close to you" (James 4:8);
- Thank Him that He is with you always;
- Ask Him to increase your awareness of His presence with you.
Time time to reflect on these questions:
- Revelation 21 gives us a glimpse of heaven. Which details most intrigue or comfort you?
- God is near, He is personal, and He wants to spend time with you. How have you experienced these truths?
- What renovations would make your soul a more fitting home for God?
Consider these passages for further study on Relationship with God:
Psalm 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Hosea 13:4 “But I have been the Lord your God
ever since you came out of Egypt.
You shall acknowledge no God but me,
no Savior except me.
1 John 5:20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Revelation 21:1-7
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 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 water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
It makes us feel comforted knowing that those that are close to us are going to be there. See how Jesus makes this true for us. Have a relationship with the Lord and be there! Great thoughts of Gary Chapman to help us focus on making our relationship with the Lord stronger. How do you feel close to the Lord?