Devotional for 12/27/15
My dwelling place is filled with the warmth of the holiday season still - lovely decorations, wonderful foods, great company. Our home is not a castle, but it is certainly comfortable. The tree is lit with the warm glow of Christmas lights with intricate ornaments interspersed between the boughs of green. The gifts have already been opened and either put to use or tucked away. Our satisfied tummies bring relaxation and the occasional nap. We visit with our family from out of town, and in the evening we struggle to remain awake to hear one more funny story, share one more life happening, or finish playing a game before it is lights out. Because we know tomorrow it comes to an end as our visitors all will leave, going their separate ways back to their own dwelling places.
God's dwelling place in heaven is far more awesome than anything we can imagine here on earth. The pictures we have on cards or in books are often inaccurate - cherubs lying around on clouds strumming harps are not likely what we will really find there! We have been given glimpses of heaven in the Bible - angels praising God, unusual beasts full of eyes and wings proclaiming God's holiness, golden lampstands, a sea of glass, and brilliant light from the glory of God. But no words or pictures that we have can actually fully describe his dwelling place in all its splendor and majesty.
The most amazing thing of all is that God sent his Son from that glorious place to dwell among us! The Lord took on flesh and came to earth as a tiny baby, and grew up WITH us humans on this planet.
John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
He has experienced the same things that we have in our lives, the good, the bad and the ugly - joys and sorrows, glory and rejection, life and death. He joined us in our dwelling place and paid the price for our sins to redeem us and to guide us to His holy dwelling.
Dear Father in heaven, thank you for sending your Son to dwell with us for a time so that we might live eternally in your holy dwelling place, which is beyond our comprehension yet greatly anticipated. May we share the Good News with others so that they too might understand that their sins are forgiven, and that they might also dwell with you forever in heaven. In Jesus name, Amen.
written by Jan Andersen
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