During the Springtime months, I often find myself reminiscing about the years we spent on our acreages, and the many Springs we spent sprucing things up after a long, dormant winter.
I have vivid memories of us both working our tails off – Dale with the mowing and trimming, me with all the flower bed weeding and planting. Often, after a long day of this exhausting work, we would sit in our gazebo – Dale with a Miller Lite, me with a Diet Coke – and comment about how blessed we were to live in such a beautiful place.
And despite all the work, we truly were grateful to enjoy God’s beautiful creation, which was so evident with the emergence of fresh green grass, flowers of every color (along with a few weeds…) and the budding of the trees.
But, make no mistake, it was a LOT of work! Neither one of us really needed an exercise program because days like this taxed us to our limits. We wouldn’t trade these days for anything (until we had no choice…) but, with 27 years of country living under our belts, we were not naïve as to what it took to keep this looking beautiful.
And, of course, it wasn’t a “once and done” kind of gig. Week after week, it was pretty exhausting work, but it almost always ended with acknowledgment of the gift that it was.
I don’t “beat the dead horse” of hard country living work to solicit any sympathy from my readers, because, it was always and forever our choice. I write about this to draw a stark contrast with another beautiful place.
Picture in your mind the most beautiful place you have ever been, even if it’s just in your mind! For me, it’s Hawaii. Beauty beyond compare – and no work required. 😊
But, I want to trump whatever gorgeous scenario you have in your mind with…Heaven. And I’m not talking about the place believers go while we wait for Jesus’ return. I’m talking about the FINAL heaven and earth. The one where this earth, despite the MANY places of beauty, will be restored to its original perfection, as God intended it.
Think Garden of Eden, but even better. And, whatever place you choose to conjure up? Take it times about a million and that’s the beauty that will surround us.
And here’s some extra good news, and part of this contrast I’m making. Tending to this beautiful place will NOT be work. Oh yes, the Bible says that we will once again be caretakers in this paradise. But work became WORK after sin entered the world back in that Garden of Eden. Once God restores his creation, caring for it will be pure joy.
There is no way we can adequately imagine the magnificence of this final home for all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and his salvation work on the cross. Do you know this is where you will live forever? Do you want to be able to say for all eternity, “I’m blessed to live in this beautiful place?”
If you’re not sure, I pray you search your heart. Don’t take any chances with your eternity. Check out this gospel message and ask God to do his work in your heart.
Who wouldn’t want to spend the rest of eternity surrounded by this beauty? And best of all, sharing it with the Creator himself, and giving HIM the glory for it. That is the longing of my heart.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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 they will be his people, 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.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 21:1-5