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“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. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death (Revelation 21:1-8).”

These first eight verses from Revelation give me such hope. Oh how I long to be in Glory forever and for always. I cannot wait to lay my crown at the feet of my Savior and humbly serve forever and ever and ever in the presence of God. I couldn’t care less about any mansion promised. I ain’t worried about any streets of gold. I simply desire to be in the presence of God.

I long to worship him for always. I cannot wait to get away into a land where there will be no… none… zilch…nada…absolutely zero pain, worry, anxiety, grief, crying. Wooo! I can’t wait. I’m not that person who says ‘I feel my loved ones are looking down on me from heaven’. Want to know why? If heaven is a place with no worries, fear, pain, crying, grief….then if they looked down here it would mess that all up. We know that the rich man in Luke 16 longed for a dip of water on his tongue to help cool his torment. I love in Luke 16 how Abraham tells the rich man that he wouldn’t send anyone back from the dead to warn folks. It’s time we listen. It’s time we get real about our eternity. The choice is ours!

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.