Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
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." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:3-7This is our hope! This is the reason that King Jesus came to earth. He humbled himself to be born as a human baby; he suffered griefs and persecution throughout his life. Then he further humbled himself to the point of death - for you and for me. And he did all of this that he might save each and every one of us to an imperishable glory laid up in heaven for us. This is what we look forward to even though on earth we suffer with various trials. This is the hope we cling to in the midst of our grief and pain. In this world we have tribulations, but we take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. And one day, our king will come again and make all things right. We shall all be changed!
One day, we shall see Jesus face to face, and he will wipe every tear from our eyes. Our griefs and sorrows and pain and suffering shall be no more. There will be no more sin and death and disease and depression and disability. We will be raised imperishable, and we will dwell with God as his people. And he will dwell with us. What a glorious day this will be!
Though we don't see this now, let us not lose heart, for we know that our suffering will not last forever. Just as Abraham did not waver in unbelief but believed God's promise, convinced that God was able to do what he had promised, let us also believe, in hope, by faith, that God WILL DO what he has promised! One day Jesus will return. One day he will make all things right again. And on that glorious day, we shall be changed.
What a glorious heritage we have been given! While we do not yet see our promised inheritance, it is done. It has been written down, signed, and finalized. God's promise to us is trustworthy and true. On that day we will drink of the spring of the water of eternal life until we are satisfied. We will drink freely of that which cost him his life. And we will rejoice. His praises will fill our hearts and overflow from our lips as he opens our eyes to see him in the fullness of his glory and holiness.
Now we live in the not yet, but we know that one day our faith will be made sight. And until that day we walk forward, step by step, looking not to that which is seen but to that which is unseen, clinging to the promises of our Savior and the promised eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison that awaits the one who conquers.
