NewCity

I’ve been thinking about heaven a lot more these past few months. I know some of you have mentioned it also, but I guess we just can’t help it.

At my church, NewCity, the pastor is really great at keeping us focused on Orlando, but also on the New City that awaits us one day with Jesus.

In a recent sermon he said, “Christ sees us as if we’d believed in Christ our entire life… as if we were going to be like Him tomorrow. He changes us slowly so we will need Him. Need His Gospel. Need His grace. We are waiting for our blessed hope. Waiting, watching, longing and yearning.”

I know it’s out of context, but so much of what he spoke rings true for us as believers.

I’ve seen the Holy Spirit at work in my life this year and I’ve watched Christ changed me slowly. I don’t know the rate of growth or change in my heart, but I feel it. I can look back over these past few months and give you specific examples of how Christ has changed me slowly so that I will need Him.

I guess when we arrive in our New Home, our New City, we will finally be full of everything we longed for here on earth. We won’t have any more needs. We will finally be with the One who fills us completely and freely in our new, sinless, bodies.

As this Christmas season is upon us, I get all warm and fuzzy inside like I have every year since I was cognizant of these feelings. I wonder if the shepherds, angels and wise men felt the same way as they took part in various roles of Jesus’ birth. I wonder how they felt going to Bethlehem after centuries of waiting, watching and hearing of this coming King.

In our City Bible Reading (CBR) we’ve been in Revelation… I really liked the image that appeared in my head after reading, ”And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13 — I mean. Wow. What a noise that will be!

I don’t really know where I’m going with this, but I guess it just makes me ponder the feeling of anticipating, watching, waiting and longing for something to come. Not that we must focus only upon His return, but that the feelings accompanying those thoughts would be ones aimed at glorifying and praising Him. It’s pretty stinking awesome, if you ask me.