December/Vision

Now the new heaven and the new earth will be created for new bodies to live in, that will not miss those things which the use of a corruptible life requires, that is, the nature and appearance of this earth will be renewed into a spiritual state which befits spiritual beings.

  - Anonymous, Liber de Ordine Creaturarum (Irish, 7th century)

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

  - 1 Corinthians 15.42, 43

People cannot live without hope. Everyone hopes for something; most people hope for things they can see, or, at least, have seen - a good marriage, a better job, more material possessions, a successful retirement, and so forth.

Christians are not nearly as sophisticated as this. We hope for what we cannot see, what no one has ever yet seen, and which cannot be seen as long as time and history continue. We hope for the glory that is to come, a glory we know about only because our King Jesus tells us in His Word it is so. If it were not so, He would have told us.

At the same time, there's just enough in Scripture to whet our appetites for eternal glory. Imagine a land with no sickness, no death, no sorrow or tears, and no sin. Imagine a land where light pervades every nook and cranny - the light of the Son of God - with so much power that there is no need for the sun or moon. Imagine a place where every inhabitant has continuous, uninterrupted, immaculate converse with the Holy One of Israel, and lives in the midst of rich culture and lush creation a life of continuous bliss and praise.

This is the Christian hope. We embrace it by faith, it is true, but so does everyone else their own preferred "hope." The difference with ours is that, once attained, it grows sweeter and more satisfying, full of joy and holy pleasure. It is therefore a hope worthy of preparing for continuously in this life (2 Pet. 3).

Do you have this hope? Does the reality of this hope - almost within our grasp! - shape the way you live each day? Or are you guided by lesser hopes, which cannot satisfy, while the one enduring, unchanging, unfailing hope awaits your studied contemplation and joyful anticipation?

Hope for the glory to come, dear friends, not for the glory which is fading away each day.

Today at The Fellowship of Ailbe

Today in ReVision we are thinking about God's thoughts and the mind of Christ. Are God's thoughts precious to you?

Pastor, how is your work of evangelism going? Is your church faithful to the "go/tell" mandate of the Lord, or have you settled into a "come/see" relationship with your community - in which very few are coming to see? You can change your church's attitude toward evangelism, but it has to begin with you. We can help. Why not consider signing up for a mentoring relationship in evangelism, and get the training, resources, and help you'll need to enlist your entire congregation for witness to our King? Write to me today and we'll set up a time to talk about this exciting training opportunity.

Don't forget to visit our bookstore and to read the blogs or listen to the sermons of our Members when you visit www.ailbe.org. And if this ministry is helpful to you, forward today's Crosfigell to a friend and urge him to sign up.

Finally, we've had some excellent suggestions for our Campaign for Christian Literacy, and there's still time for you to offer yours. Send them to me right away.