…What an amazing thought that the pinnacle of God’s plan revolves around RELATIONSHIP. I’ve been contemplating this for a long time and every time I come back to the same conclusion. Galaxies are beautiful, the periodic table is amazing, biochemistry is elegant, DNA is digital (wow), life is spectacular, awareness is awesome, intelligence is impressive, emotions are immersive, but relationship is mutual. There is nothing like it in all creation! With more capability comes greater interactive possibility. Imagine the interaction God still has in store for us! We’re just tasting the first drops.
~ Hermann Weidemann
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
~ from Revelation 22
It has already begun beloved. The clock ticks for the brethren, but the sweep of its hands are irrelevant. The Firstborn among the many of us has already gone to prepare a place for us. He is soon coming to bring us fully into His Presence.
We can sense it now. There is, in Him, in His Presence, this fading of fear – and the weakness that comes from trying to live on our own. Because now we are not alone. Never. Not ever again. We have Him. We have each other.
Oh thank G_d! Oh thank Him that that gnawing and horrible and desperate emptiness and chaining to time and flesh is both filled and broken. He is in us now. And we are in Him. Never to be separated again.
And then He makes the situation even better.
He gives us each other. There is not just ‘me’ and Him (as GORGEOUSLY WONDERFUL as that relationship is) – there is ‘us’ in the Kingdom. WE will reign with Him forever. WE (read those implied by the Firstborn among many brethren) are entering into an era of unprecedented fellowship and freedom and peace and purpose and joy that will never (not ever) end.
Said more simply: there is about to be one really truly good party thrown by the LORD OF HOSTS. And this writer can already smell the fruit on that tree.
Can we see it?
Knowing the party to which we are going, might it not make sense to invest heavily in getting to know the ones with whom we will party forever? Surely, we desire to know the Host. Surely, it will be the greatest of joys to simply KNOW His face and embrace Him upon entering as though it were the consummation of a short absence – this, rather than being simply surprised that we made it in the door. And just as surely, we desire to know the other party-goers; and we desire to help each other prepare for a celebration that will surely be beyond compare.
Oh, what a beautiful ever-day that will be. In so many ways, beloved, it has already begun. We are in Him, free from time, death and fear. Oh, onward friends… There is a wonderful day coming very soon – where the Host will be the very center of attention. And the game at that party will be getting to know the Unsearchable and His Great Love and loveliness better – forever. Oh, may we all (some moment deep in eternity) find the very center of His great heart – together.
