As the suggested theme for this month’s posts was ‘New’, I knew exactly what I would write about. We’d been house hunting this past month. By house-hunting, I mean the man and I had made up our minds to move, informed our current house owner that we'll vacate and had asked friends and family to pray for us to find the right place. But then, we had managed to see only one house in the first two weeks. I wouldn’t call it procrastination, but just that we were not proactive enough. Perhaps we were taking our time getting used to the idea of moving after seven long years in the same house. It's not as if we were moving cities or anything, yet the idea itself was daunting enough.
Finally, with half the month gone, we got down to the real task, bracing ourselves with much prayer. By the end of the day we had decided on a house, met the owner, discussed and agreed to each other's terms and given a go ahead for the rent lease paperwork to be done. Yet again, we saw God beautifully working out every detail for us; despite our inadequacies, He remains faithful. And we were not surprised.
In our last week in the old house I thought about the many friendships we had built, the lovely memories shared, and the two babies somewhere in between. As we packed and sorted through our stuff I was reminded of Gesly Susan’s post a couple of months back,
What do I take with me?
What do I leave behind?
What do I give away?
And as I daydreamed about the new house and how God has prepared it just for us, almost tailor-made to our needs, I realized it is nothing compared to the place Christ is preparing for us to dwell in for eternity, the highlight being this:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, … 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...” (Revelation 21:1-4 ESV)
God dwelling with man, face to face, as their God. How glorious and marvelous it will be. All that John had seen and tried to describe of the new heaven and the new earth’s splendor is dimmed against the splendor and beauty of the very presence of God among men. And all that this world values and runs after will be merely lining the footpaths of heaven as cobblestones and adding to its backdrop, nothing more.
If God takes care of our temporal needs in such great detail here on earth, imagine the detail with which He’s preparing a place for you and me for eternity. I believe He’s totally a God of specifics and not vagueness. When Jesus says in John 14:2, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" I like to believe Him.
I believe He’s customizing one of the many rooms just for me.
And the other rooms on my floor could be for friends I have shared (or will share) the gospel with and who respond to Christ's great sacrifice of love. As such, I realize the need to be at work constantly, on my knees and otherwise, so that none of those rooms remain vacant by the time the Lord returns.
Photo Credit : Flickr
Christy so thought provoking and beautifully written!
Thanks Deepa!
I am really thankful you all have started this blog which will be a real blessing to us women in India especially stay-at-homes like me. Love the fact you have kept it so simple, so real and so connectable (dnt know if it's the right word. But i hope you got it)
My best wishes for this to flourish/prosper/grow.... and touch lives!!
A loving aunty shared this with me and will now share it with my family n friends.
Thank you! god bless!
Thanks for your encouragement, Pranoti! New posts coming soon, so keep visiting!