Thoughts for the Day

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Everything has a beginning and an end (well except for God) and we can start our life journey eager and keen, new and fresh, and get more and more tired of the sameness of life as we get older. Despite all our hard work the world seems as much a mess as ever, Illnesses and pandemics come and go - as the doctors and scientists cure one, so another appears. Wars come to an end and others break out. Financial crises occur and always affect the poor most. New companies arise and old ones end. There is only one given in life on earth, and that is death!

But death is not the end of existence. Over the years I have read the passage above from the Book of Revelation many times at funerals, looking to offer grieving relatives some hope. None of us know what this ultimate heaven will be like. We do know heaven exists because Jesus taught us that there was an after-life (John 3.16, and Matthew 8.11). Over the centuries many have sort to describe it. Indeed we describe things on earth as "heavenly" whether is a beautiful view, or a cool drink on a hot day. We mean that these things are perfect.

John describes heaven as a city, a "new Jerusalem". Any of us who have been to Jerusalem will know of its sights, sounds and smells which are wonderful, but far from any kind of normality, let alone perfection. But there is one difference. The new Jerusalem is the place where God is. It is the place where humans are fully united with God - with a God who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Our death is but the beginning of a new life in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Lord God,
You are the Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and end of all things.
May we see death as the end of this life
but the beginning of a new life,
in whatever that might be.
Keep us strong in this faith
when loved ones die,
or when we ourselves face death.
May we stay firm in the belief
that a future life will be where You are.
Amen.