Kept Safe for Heaven

We live in much darkness. The violence of men killing police officers, police officers killing men.... the violence of Christians being beheaded because they won't renounce their faith. Babies being thrown into garbage cans.... 

Not only that but I've recently witnessed loved ones being attacked by friends. Backstabbing runs rampant. Deep wounds to the heart. Lives ripped apart because of pride and vanity. All kinds of wickedness.

I've been thinking a lot about this hope that I have... The hope of heaven. And not only the hope of heaven and that perfect new heaven and new earth where there will be no more crying, no more death, no pain... but the fact that the Lord promises to keep me safe until that day.

Whatever pain I feel, whatever struggle I bear, whatever sorrows I witness, I know I am protected by a good God who loves me and has planned all things to work together for my good, and for his glory.

Too often we gaze upon our trouble, or on the weight of the bad stuff around us.. you know.. that darkness. When we are so blinded by the darkness we forget that the Light exists. This is why in the old testament the Israelites were constantly told to think back and remember the stories, the great things God had done for them.

When all around us is darkness and it feels so deep and that there is no way out, we need to look to Christ, and we need to look back to those stories of old. God gave us His word so that we would be able to constantly look back and see how He has been the HELP of His people in ages past. He gave us His word because He wants us to know that He is also OUR help.

That God. That's my God. The same God who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego  who were tossed into a firey furnace for not worshiping another god. They came out without even a singed hair on their head. The same God who put Noah on that boat and rescued him from destruction. That same God who parted the red sea to bring His people out of slavery. This same God was also He who fed 5000 men with just a few loaves of bread and fish. The God who raised Jesus from the dead. My King Jesus who sits on the throne forever.

This is the Lord my God. And He is with me. He keeps me. He protects me. No matter what evil I see. No matter what bad things happen to me.

"5You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday."

-Psalm 91

And after this life is over, this life that I don't have to walk alone because I am upheld and protected and gathered up by my dear Savior, I will be with be with my God. And the hope of the life to come is more beautiful and more hopeful than anything I could dream of having in this world.

The New Heaven and the New Earth Revelation 21

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for zthe first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw athe holy city, bnew Jerusalem, ccoming down out of heaven from God, dprepared eas a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold,fthe dwelling place1 of God is with man. He will gdwell with them, and they will be his people,2 and God himself will be with them as their God.3 4 hHe will wipe away every tear from their eyes, andideath shall be no more, jneither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And khe who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I lam making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for mthese words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, n“It is done! oI am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. pTo the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 qThe one who conquers will have this heritage, and rI will be his God and she will be my son.