A Land that Is Fairer Than Day
John 14:1-3 (NRSV) 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
Has there ever been such hope as that given to us through Christ Jesus? First we have the hope of salvation found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then we have the hope of the resurrection, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live,” John 11:25. And finally we have the hope found in John 14
Can anyone exist without hope? Merriam-Webster dictionary says that the definition of hope is to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true..
The use of the word “hope” has become so overused, and really, the meaning has been watered down to the point that “hoping” is not much more than wishing that something unlikely will occur.
Conversely, hope in the Bible is a confident expectation, not because of our efforts, but because of God’s promises. There is a solidity in godly hope, whereas the hope found in the world is nothing more than a wispy trail of smoke that dissipates into the atmosphere.
So, I ask again; can anyone exist without hope? I think not. May we today grab hold of the hope found in the scriptures and in a personal relationship with Christ Jesus.
I would like to share an old song of the church with you. My maternal grandparents, born in the 1880’s, sang this and other songs that pointed toward heaven.
In the Sweet By and By
There’s a land that is fairer than day
And by faith we shall see it afar
For the father waits over the way
To prepare us a dwelling place there.
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore
In the sweet by and by
We shall meet on that beautiful shore.
There is a land that is fairer than day, and because of hope we can trust not only in that grand reunion on heaven’s shore, but in living daily a life that reflects Christ in all we say and do.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Deuteronomy 32:1-4 (NIV)
1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Close to forty years ago, I picked up a rock from bottom of the Buffalo River. It was a section of the river that was clear and shallow. I could see how the constant movement of the water reshaped the stone until it was round and smooth.
Do you know that the constant movement of God in your life can round out the rough edges and make your spirit smooth? I’m not saying that our lives will be smooth, but the Holy Spirit can take away the rough edges of jealousy, unforgiveness, pettiness and pride, and when those qualities are washed away we will no longer cut ourselves and others on the jagged rock of our sinful nature.
In today’s scripture Moses is nearing the end of his life and he is not just talking to God, he is talking to the heavens and the earth and he is proclaiming the greatness of God. When Moses referred to God as a rock, he was saying that God was strong, reliable, immovable and he went on to say that all of His works are perfect and His ways are just.
Our Creator serves as the ultimate foundation for all integrity and justice. God’s justice does not mimic man’s justice. Man’s justice is based on our idea that people should get what they deserve. God forbid. Because what we deserve is death because we are sinners, but God judges us in light of the redemptive work that Jesus did on Calvary. Where we deserve judgment, God chooses to give us mercy.
As Christ followers, may we always seek the justice of God over the justice of man. And rather than returning evil for evil, may we choose mercy over vengeance.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and if the Holy Spirit. Amen.
My Hiding Place
(NIV) Psalm 91:1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
I am not sure how many times over the years I have turned to this Psalm for strength and for solace. I crave the peace that comes only through a relationship with Jesus. I thirst for the living waters and hunger for the bread of life, not because I do not have them, but because once you have Jesus in your life there is no substitute.
The Word of God washes over me, and I know, believe and understand that
He is my hiding place. When life overwhelms I dive deep into the truth found only from Genesis to Revelation, and emerge quenched and refreshed.
May we hide the Word in our hearts so that it comforts and consoles, guides and directs, informs and transforms.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
You Are Mine
(NIV)Isaiah 43:1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
Isn’t this a wonderful passage? Do not fear. Why shouldn’t Israel fear? Because God redeemed them, or bought them back. He called them by name and claimed them as His own. And here is the best part for us: God’s promise to be with Israel extends to the Church.
There is a Christmas movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger called “Jingle All the Way.” The movie is about a workaholic dad who promises to get his son the newest, hottest action toy. But, he fails to get away from work in time to buy the toy and, the remainder of the movie centers around the efforts of Schwarzenegger, along with other dads, to successfully purchase the item that, by this time, has become rare.
The climax occurs when Arnold portrays the real life action toy in a parade. He spots his son in the crowd, calling out to him by name and throwing one of the toys to him. The boy, unaware that his dad is portraying the hero, says “He knows my name!”
Well, may I tell you that God, our Creator, knows us by name? He created us for a purpose, and part of that purpose is to bring glory to Him.
So fear not! His promises are faithful and true, and we are His, now and forever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sing unto the Lord
(NIV)Psalm 12:6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Sometimes I like to sing the Psalms. Or at least I used to. My vocal cords are shot. But this is one of the psalms I turned into song.
You are a hiding place for me
You Lord preserve me from trouble
You surround me with song
And shouts of deliverance.
Blessed be the Lord God Emmanuel
Blessed be the king of Israel
You are my deliverer and evermore shall be
I bring you honor praise and glory.
When we lived in Richmond I sometimes attended a Messianic church—Jews who had found Jesus as their Savior. The music was joyfully infectious, so it was not unusual for me to sing the Psalms in this vein.
I encourage you to find a psalm and add your own music to it. Our music teacher at Little Rock Central, Lois Jean Raymond, would tell us to take our courage in our hot little hands and sing.
Some psalms have already been turned into song. Psalm 42, as the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee…” touches my soul.
I may no longer be able to vocalize these psalms nor the songs of my youth (Higher Ground, Love Lifted Me, Amazing Grace) but they will be in my heart until I die.
Do you have songs that bring you closer to the throne of the most high God? Then sing them out!
May we let the joy in our hearts burst forth in song, and may we praise the Lord our God for all He is worth.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Seeking Holiness 