Hope for a New Life
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:2-4 NIV).
In that passage from the book of Revelation, we are given the hope of seeing the presence of God dwelling among us—a promise to the overcomers who triumph with faith and set themselves apart for God.
And all the promises of the Word of God converge with the loving actions of Jesus to restore His people. However, God fills us with new promises and purposes so that we can bring hope to those who have none.
About two years ago, I asked God to guide me with His wisdom to start a life-changing journey and to use that process to change other people's lives. In the midst of the pandemic, without job opportunities, and living in a very rural area, I thought it would be difficult to receive a promise from God. However, in less than a month, I would travel more than 200 miles to start the greatest challenge in my life: to bring the promises of God to others through my actions and by following in the footsteps of Jesus.
My hope in the fulfillment of God's promises has grown so much in recent months. Not only do I achieve the blessings that He has planned for me, but in each project I work on, I know that I can send a message of God's faithfulness—and testify that the Lord will freely give living water to anyone who thirsts.
“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:6).
On a recent visit to our Operation Blessing project, a single mother and her daughter joined us in a prayer of thanksgiving, because thanks to Operation Blessing's humanitarian aid programs, they were able to start their own business. This mother had lost hope of recovering her well-being and suffered for not being able to give her daughter the basics. It was then that God used me to remind her of His faithfulness—and that He had made a covenant with us so that we could enjoy His presence every day because of an inexhaustible supply of mercy and forgiveness that is available to His children.
“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah 13:1).
I always want to be the first in line among those who share the Good News that God will dwell among us one day, where the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple (Revelation 21:22).
God has promised to always be with us, and through His Holy Spirit, every day we can see His promises fulfilled in our lives. I long for when I can delight my eyes in seeing Him face to face.
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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
