Today's Verse - Revelation 21:2-4

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

—Revelation 21:2-4

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

I don't know about you, but I'm kind of ready for that old order stuff to go away. The end of tears, death, mourning, crying, violence, abuse, suffering, war, divisive politics, and pain sounds pretty good to me! No wonder the early Christians would say, "Maranatha. Come, O LORD" (1 Corinthians 16:22). They couldn't wait. How about us? How about you? What is keeping you from saying, "LORD Jesus, please come, and come soon? I urge you to put it aside, or put it under the lordship of Jesus, and use those moves to make you ready to receive the glory yet to be revealed in us (Romans 8:18; Colossians 3:3-4). Let's make ourselves ready for the time when:

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Hallelujah!

My Prayer...

Holy God, please help me as I try to serve you faithfully and yearn for Jesus' return. I desire to be steadfast in my love, living for you until the glorious day that so many of your children have longed to experience over the centuries. I long to see you in your glory, to share in your presence, and to join with the saints of all ages praising you around your glorious throne. And yes, dear Father, I long for you to wipe away all my tears and welcome me home. Because of Jesus' victory, and by his authority, I offer my prayer in holy expectation. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

—1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

What do you have that is forever?
Most of what we have in this world falls apart, breaks, or wears out quickly. But we have three things that last forever: God (Father, Son, Spirit), our Christian friends, and our praise of God. These are eternal. The glorious truth is that Jesus is going to return, the dead who died in him will be raised to receive their eternal bodies, and those living at his return will have their bodies changed into their immortal bodies. The best part of all of this is we will be reunited with all the faithful of all the centuries, and we all will be with the Lord forever. As the old hymn says it, "One day He's coming, O glorious day."

My Prayer...

God, I look forward to the day of your next great surprise, the return of Jesus in glory. I join the angels in standing on tiptoe as I look to the clouds to see my LORD and your Son return in glory and receive the welcome and honor he deserves. I praise you for that day now, even though I only see it by faith. Until I see you on that day, please know my heart's desire is to serve you, even when my weakness gets in the way of showing it as fully as I should, and my heart loses touch with the promise of Jesus' return. I offer you my sincerest thanks and praise in Jesus' name. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

Today's Verse - Psalm 56:4

In God, whose word I praise — in God I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

—Psalm 56:4

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

One of the powerful things about having a Bible as a repository of God's words is that its age and influence across diverse countries and cultures remind us how enduring God's truth is. Still, we remember that it is God in whom we put our trust! His enduring presence across cultures, centuries, and countries reminds us that eternity is beyond our grasp. Still, the Eternal One holds us in his hands as we journey toward the destination he has for us. Our lives, with our future secured, are hidden with Christ in God and are destined for his glory (Colossians 3:1-4). Our worst days, months, and years of suffering, hardship, difficulty, and challenges cannot compare to the glory that is yet to be revealed in us (Romans 8:18-21). Our trust is in our eternal Savior, so let's keep our eyes focused and our hopes centered on him and the glory that awaits us (Colossians 3:2; Hebrews 12:1-2). In God I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me if God is my God!

My Prayer...

O Great and Eternal God, thank you that you are more stable than the ground on which I stand, more enduring than the mountain peaks I admire, and more constant than the waves upon the oceans that I love. I trust my life, future, and soul with you. I want to please you in the way I live. I want my life to be marked by consistent faithfulness to you, for in you I trust. In the name of Jesus, I ask for the Spirit's help to keep my focus on you. Amen.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.