In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

  - Revelation 22.2, 3

There is sanctuary there without sorrow,
there is light which never fades;
songs which are pure, fair, skilful,
enduring, tender, delightfully sweet.

 - Saltair na Rann, Irish, 9^th-10^th century

Christians are a people journeying toward a City which is to come. “This world is not my home,” the old spiritual insists. And it’s true. We live here, work here, raise our families and leave our mark here, but this world is not our home. So we shouldn’t get too comfortable with it.

Instead, we should be more about the business of thinking on and living toward the City which is to come, that “sanctuary” “without sorrow” where all is healed, and there is no more curse. This is our hope, that unseen, promised home that Jesus is even now preparing for us, and for which every true believer longs with all his or her heart.

Why don’t we spend more time thinking about the City to Come? Celtic Christians fairly lived in the coming age, so enrapt were they with the vision of what they referred to as the “Paradise of the Saints.” Often, while on their journey in life, they would indulge in meditation and prayer, focused on the unseen realm and the City to Come, and they would lapse into seasons of reverie in which, in spite of their circumstances, they experienced the peace and joy of the Lord with great fullness. And they prepared all their lives to be fit company among the saints and angels when at last their day of resurrection should arrive.

There are many benefits to focusing on the world that is to be, and to envisioning ourselves, even now, dwelling in that sanctuary without sorrow. Such meditations – whether in prayer, song, or solitary wandering – can bolster our hope and fill us with the joy of anticipated blessings. By these also we will find our desire enhanced, so that we long to bring something of that eternal future into our present experience. Thus we will be more likely to pursue holiness, extend grace, exude joy and hope, and communicate the Savior to those around us.

As communities of believers give themselves to such meditations, their worship will be enriched, their disciple-making transformed, and they will discover new resources for loving one another and reaching out to their lost neighbors.

Jonathan Edwards used to refer to the City to Come as the beatific vision – the blessed, beautiful, enthralling, glorious, and transforming vista of our eternal home. He urged believers to see themselves on a journey there, and to press on in their journey, ever preparing for their final destination.

Thus we learn the secret of living the then and there, here and now, and we show to the watching world a reason for hope that they can find nowhere else.

Seek that sanctuary without sorrow every day, and your faith in Christ will be richer and fuller as a result. The City to Come is a work in progress, but enough of its eternal beauty and glory is revealed in Scripture that we can clearly glimpse the home which is being prepared for us.

Go there, friends, in meditation and wonder. You can enter the sanctuary without sorrow even now, and know the peace that passes understanding and the joy that nothing can remove, as you rest in Jesus in His home.

And ours.

Psalm 23.4-6 (The Gift of Love: Thought I May Speak with Bravest Fire)
The Lord is ever by my side; His rod and staff with me abide.
A table rich for me He spreads; with oil my Lord anoints my head.

Goodness and mercy, full and free, shall ever after follow me,
And in the house of God, my Lord, shall I abide forevermore!

Lord, teach me how to engage and practice that eternal and blessed vision!

Meditation Exercises
If you’re a little rusty in the discipline of meditation, or if you find focusing on the City to Come a difficult challenge, maybe you just need to exercise your meditation muscle a bit. Our book, The Hidden Life, provides 16 exercises consisting of poems, meditations, activities, and psalms for singing, which are designed to transport you into the unseen realm, and leave you just a bit closer to the City to Come. Order your copy by clicking here.

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T. M. Moore
Principal
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All psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.