A City Not Made with Human Hands

The longer I live and the more people I know who have passed from this life to the next, the more I look forward not only to that journey, but to the promised city not made with human hands.

The following are what I am looking forward to:

Not only that city, but the sinlessness and the tearlessness and the painlessness and the fearlessness that those who live there will experience: "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, not any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to the springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:16-17);

Not only that city, but the bodies glorified to be able to reside there: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is" (1 John 3:2);

Not only that city, but reunions with those who have already passed from this life, reunions that will not end because of time constraints: "All  these died in faith, without having received the promises, but having seen them and welcomed them from a distance, having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if  they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to  return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepare a city for them" (Hebrews 11:13-16);

Not only that city, but the light that will be eternal because God is in the midst of her: "And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (Revelation 21:23);

Not only that city, but to see my Lord and Savior who has redeemed me, purchasing me with His own life and blood; read the Gospels.

Who else is with me?

So Teach Us

In the 12th verse of Psalm 90
Moses implores the Lord:
"So teach us to number our days
That we may gain a heart of wisdom."

What preceded this request?
"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
You turn man back to dust.
And say, 'Return, O children of men.'
For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by
Or as a watch in the night.
You have swept  them away like a flood, they fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which flourishes and sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.
For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been dismayed.
You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
For all our days have declines in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.
As for the days of our lives, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow,
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
Who understands the power of Your anger and Your fury,
According to the fear that is due You?"

Rereading those verses, it is no wonder that Moses pled,
"So teach us."

Perspective is key:
Seeing God as eternal and man as time-bound;
Seeing God as holy and man as sinful;
Seeing God as righteous judge and man as  righteously judged;
Seeing God as wise and man as needing wisdom,
So we too need to pray,
"So teach us."

Let Us Exalt His Name Together, Considering His Faithful Provision

Proverbs 3:5-6, a familiar passage, reads, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

How often do we trust with most but not all of our hearts and lean just a little bit on our own understanding to make up for that lack of trust? And in consequence, we do not acknowledge Him in all our ways nor have Him make our paths straight?

This passage from Proverbs, as well as some from Philippians and James, has meant a lot more to me in recent months. Let me illustrate.

My family needed to move our Mom into a memory care facility, and how were we going to do that? The LORD made a way.

The family home of 29 years needed to be sold, and how were we going to do that? The LORD made a way.

My sister, after retiring and selling the house, needed the right apartment, and how was that going to happen? The LORD made a way.

We had 29 years of items (and some being much older than that) to clear out of the house when it sold, and how was that going to happen? The LORD made a way.

We could not lean on our own understanding at any point, so we turned to James 1:2-5: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given him."

How often during these months have we rejoiced in this truth as we sought wisdom from God in each circumstance--He has given it generously and without reproach.

Another pertinent reference is in Paul's letter to the Philippians: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

It is easy to be anxious when we can't see how God will provide. We found ourselves discussing how thanksgiving fits in with prayer and supplication, and concluded that we give thanks for His faithfulness to us in the past. And the peace of God has guarded our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus, as He promised.

"The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).