Are You Thirsty?

Reading the book of Revelation is so powerful. In fact, there’s a blessing promised when we do!  I want to read just a portion about the coming eternal reign of Jesus and the “city” in which He’s built where we will enjoy His presence. Having a few people who’ve lost loved ones recently in our church caused me to revisit this book and the powerful imagery given about our promised land! 
Rev. 21:16-17 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 

22-26 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 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. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. 

CHAPTER 22 The River of Life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.  6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon.

WOW! What a picture of what is coming! Are you thirsty for something more? Do you know deep in your gut that this life simply doesn’t offer what we crave? Of course you do. You and I both do. We all have a knowing about this future reality; think about it. That’s why we grieve.  When we grieve the loss of someone to cancer or covid or a tragic accident, what we are saying is “this shouldn’t be”  We mourn and in essence are feeling “there should be a place with no cancer, no tears, no death, no mourning” and you’re right. There should be and there IS. Heaven has existed long before you and I ever existed. It has always been and will always be. Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in His Father’s house so we could be with Him in that paradise. Just like the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness trusting the miraculous God of their forefathers to lead them home, we too journey our way through pain, heartache and grief knowing that Jesus is leading us home to a place where there is NO MORE PAIN FOREVER! Are there miracles now? Yes! You know I believe that. But the fullness of perfection doesn’t come until Jesus comes take His bride (you and me and all who’ve accepted His grace) home to Heaven. The kingdom of God is here and not yet. There’s a city with a river of life flowing from the Lamb, JESUS! There’s 12 pearl gates that remind us of the 12 tribes of Israel! There’s a light at the center named JESUS and we will worship Him forever! Are you ready? Are you going when He comes? Only Jesus offers what you crave - a relationship with Him and a promise of eternity in His perfect presence!

To hear GIVER, a song my friend Andrew Slater wrote about this promise given to us in both Isaiah and Revelation, click the link below. He truly is the GIVER! Andrew gives a picture of a woman drowning in fear and remorse and gives a picture of Jesus coming in to save her just in time! “He gave His life. Yeah He drank the waves for her. He gave His life. Yeah He drank the waves for her. He drank the death for her.”
*For further study, read 1 Thess 4 and 5.