The River

I wrote this 10 days ago on August 14th.  I don't have internet where I'm living right now so I am just now putting this up.  I'll work on writing more consistently now that life is back to somewhat of a routine and putting them up whenever I'm connected to the internet somewhere. :)

Philippians 3:13-14 is right where I’m at right now. 

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

I’m sitting in one of my favorite places as I type this.  It is by a river that I have come to many times to sit and listen to God’s voice.  And I hope that I will be able to sit here again someday, but I’m just not sure if this is what will be. 

Because this is the end of a very long chapter that God is just about finished writing, and the next will soon be here.  But when it gets here, I don’t really know what it will bring.

And so I’ve come to the river one last time.  It’s so peaceful here.  And I would sit here forever if I could, but my Master has summoned me to go on another journey for Him and so I will go.

But someday, when all the duties of love are done, I know there will be a river of forever-peace waiting for me.

“Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.  It flowed down the center of the main street.  On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month.  The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.  No longer will there be a curse upon anything.  For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.  And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads.”

No longer will there be a curse upon anything. 

Can you imagine?  To live forever in a place that has. no. curse?  Where the water is clear as crystal – unpolluted – and the trees produce 12 crops of fruit every month – fruit without pesticides.  And where the servants of God have finally come home, and they can look upon his very face, and his name is written on their foreheads. 

No, this place is not our home.

 

And so we forget what is behind, and press on towards what is ahead – the prize at the end of the suffering.  The clearest river, the most abundant of fruit, and the beautiful face of God.

Will I hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”  I pray that God in His grace will make it so.

 

My heart is longing for home now.  I pray I will be worthy of it when I finally arrive.