God's interaction with humanity throughout history has been a story of divine love. Love is the thread that has tied together everything. God created out of love, He was faithful to us even after we fell, and ultimately His love led Him to come to us as the savior, Jesus, who died and rose again to redeem us and all of creation. This, however, is not the end of the story. We tend to stop here. It is an amazing story of God's grace, love, and power, but He calls us into the story. He calls us to be a part of the RESTORATION of everything.
Revelation 21 says, "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne (AKA God) saying, 'Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from the eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'...
He who was seated on the throng said, 'I am making everything new!'... I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the mood to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will the gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it."
This is the reality of things to come. Christ will return, God will make all things new, and we will live in this Holy City. We must live in this reality. Our view of what the future will be shapes what we do now. If we truly believe that, "God's dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them," then we need to be getting our dwelling ready for God. With joy and anticipation, we are called to do the work of restoration here and now. In all we do we must strive to make our home "on earth as it is in heaven."
In Colossians 1:20 Paul writes, :For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him [Jesus], and through him to reconcile all things, whether thing son earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." God is making all things new. Christ is reconciling all things to himself. All things matter. We are called to take part in this. So in everything we do, say, think, believe, we need to be restorers. When we do schoolwork, we do it for the Lord...When we play sports, we play with the mind of Christ...When we hang out with friends, we bring the peace and joy of Christ to others...When we interact with the environment, we act as good stewards, knowing it is God's. We are called to take part in the restoration of all things...and all things on earth and in heaven matter. Amen.
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