READ: Revelation 21 (Focus vs. 1-4)
MEMORY VERSE
“They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. Revelation 21:3
BACKGROUND
Blaise Pascal famously said there’s an “infinite abyss” inside us that only an infinite God can fill. “You have made us for yourself, O Lord,” Augustine prayed, “and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” As David put it, like thirsty people in the desert, our whole being “longs” for God (Psalm 63:1).
Surprisingly, however, it isn’t only humans that experience longing. God does too.
While the infinite God of the universe needs nothing outside Himself to be fulfilled, the Bible says He “longs” to have us back when we stray (James 4:4-5), and repeatedly says He wants a people to call His own (Exodus 6:7; Hebrews 8:10).
For thousands of years this longing has fueled God’s missionary endeavors: sending prophets to win back His straying people and ultimately sending His Son to find His lost sheep (Isaiah 30:18; Luke 19:10).
The good news is that in the end, this longing will be fulfilled. “They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God,” and God and human beings will dwell together (Revelation 21:2-3).
Humans long for God, and no substitute will satisfy. God longs for humans, and no substitute will do. So no wonder there’s rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents (Luke 15:7). When we run to God’s open arms, everyone is fulfilled.
Sheridan Vorsey
INSIGHT
After God created the heavens and the earth, He placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. But then they sinned, and pain, strife, and death were the result (Genesis 1-3).
In Isaiah, the prophet declares that God will one day create “new heavens and a new earth” where “the former things will not be remembered” (65:17; see also 66:22).
Later, Peter wrote of “a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). In Revelation 21, John has a vision of this new heaven and new earth, where they’ll be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (v. 4).
In this vision, Jesus—“he who was seated on the throne” (v. 5)—declares, “those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (v. 7).
God rejoices when we repent of our sin and seek forgiveness. Those who do will enjoy this new earth with Christ for all eternity.
Alyson Kieda*
APPLICATION
How do you feel about God “longing” for you? How can this encourage you when you need to repent for doing wrong?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
“Humans long for God, and no substitute will satisfy. God longs for humans, and no substitute will do.”
PR’s TAKE
“God put a longing in our hearts for (His) unfailing love because He knew it would lead us back to Him.” Renee Swope
PRAYER
“Heavenly Father, thank You for passionately longing for me to know You.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“COME THOU FOUNT…”
Come, thou Fount of every blessing;
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of God’s unchanging love!
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I’m come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let that grace now, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart; O take and seal it;
Seal it for thy courts above.
