A Lasting City

Daily Reading: Hebrews 13

Scripture Focus: For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. (Hebrews 13.14)

Devotional Thought: Have you ever heard of Elk Lick, OH? Founded as a community for affluent citizens in Clermont County, it was at one time advanced as a possibility for the county seat. That never happened, and as a matter of fact, most of Elk Lick is now under water! East Fork Lake was constructed in 1972 and the little town of Elk Lick is no more. It was not a lasting city.

Across the millennia of human history, cities have come and gone, haven't they? Cities we read about in the Bible are buried under Middle Eastern sands and are of interest only to archaeologists and historians. Cities that flourished during the time of American westward migration are abandoned and have deteriorated. Even in our lifetime, Detroit - the once great American city - has lost hundreds of thousands of people. "Here we have no lasting city."

"We seek the city that is to come," not a city. We seek the city. There is only one city that will never be abandoned, that will never deteriorate, that will never collapse. That is the city of God, described in Revelation 21: "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there."

Take heart, my friend. The city we seek is a lasting city!

Prayer: Lord, when I grow discouraged or tired or weak, remind me that I have a lasting city - a city to come - where I will be with you forever. Thank you that you have gone to prepare that place for me. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. 4 Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God? 5 There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them. 6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. (Psalms 53:1-6)