Advent Devotional: Day 5

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”  Revelation 21:3-4  ESV

When I read the account of Adam and Eve walking in the coolness of the evening with God, I must admit, I was jealous.  They walked with Him, physically. It stirs something deep within me, a longing.

Revelation 21:3 stirs that same longing in me.  It says we will have that same connection with Him and more.  His place is with us. That also means our place is with Him. This is Hope, in the simplest form. This tells me my future dwelling place.

But it is verse 4 that gives me more than Hope.  It gives me comfort. Just like I did for my child, He will do for me—wipe away my tears. That picture gives me so much comfort. But it doesn’t stop there either. We will mourn no more because death will cease. And if that weren’t enough, we will suffer no more, no more pain.

This future looks amazing to me.  Aging brings pain both in body and soul. I have been touched by death too many times to count. I long for the day we will not need mourning.  I long for the day I can walk in His presence, not just mentally, to see His face.

What does the future look like for you?  What stirs the longing in your heart, the Hope for a future with God?