How Do You Like My New Place?

Daily Reading: Revelation 21

Scripture Focus: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… (Revelation 21.1)

Devotional Thought: When Lana and I moved to Bethel, Ohio, we were blessed to have a wonderful home made available for us to rent.  It was large.  It was in the country.  It was affordable.  And the owner was so kind as to allow us a month-to-month lease.  You see, we were having a house built on a lot we had bought.  There was coming a time when we would leave the rental house and move to our new house.  Meanwhile, it was fun to choose carpet, paint, and cabinets.  It was exciting to watch the progress of the house.  What was even more thrilling was moving in to that home!  And even better than that?  Living there!  Having family and friends come to see us there!

The Bible says that Jesus has gone to “prepare a place for us.”  It is the new heaven and the new earth described in Revelation 21-22.  It will never wear out, get old, or need repair.  There will be no sadness there, nor sickness, nor sin.  We will see our loved ones who have gone there before us.  Our children will join us there one day – and our grandchildren! 

The life we live on this earth is passing away.  Like the rental house we moved into, it is temporary.  It is preparatory.  For even as Jesus is preparing a place for us, we are preparing certain factors about our eternity.  Might I say, choosing carpet, paint, and cabinets?  How we experience that ‘new home’ will depend on the decisions and investments that we make here. 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for preparing a place for me.  This world is not my home, but I'm bound for a better place. Help me to be prepared for the place you're preparing!  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 105.16-22

16 When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread,

17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

18 His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;

19 until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.

20 The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free;

21 he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions,

22 to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom.