21st April, 2022.

JUSTIFIED TO BE GLORIFIED. Pt.3

Psalms 17:15 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. NKJV

A PERFECT PLACE TO BE

Looking at the level of degradation in our world today, we may not understand Genesis 1:31 fully: "Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day". When God created the world, everything in it was good. There was perfect order and harmony. Adam and Eve lived in "paradise". We can't compare the glories of Eden with the most beautiful place on earth. Insecurity wasn't an issue before sin entered the world because God secured the earth. However, when sin entered through Adam, "paradise" was lost. Today, terrorism is a global menace, wars and natural disasters has degraded our world. There are issues of environmental concerns that has warranted several conventions yet no solution.

Living in glory for the believer will mean living in a perfect world different from what obtains here on earth: "There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever" (Revelation22:5). We all love beautiful and serene environments. The beauty of Paris is the reason people often say "See Paris And Die". Paris may be the most or one of the most beautiful places on the planet earth, yet it is subject to the corruption and decay that exist on this earth. Stop living for things that will fade away: "And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever" ( 1John2:17 NLT).

Living to please Him and Him alone should be our desire. Here is not home. Heaven is the real home. That song writer said, "This world is not home, I'm just passing through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blues, the angels beckon me from heaven's open door and I can't feel at home in this world any more". When we leave here, we'll go home. We are not there yet. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever" (Revelation 21:1‭-‬4 NLT)