Finally and Forever!

How I long for that day, Lord — that day that will be unlike any other!

“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 21:3b-4)

Oh, Abba… It is so reassuring to know that day is real and will one day come to be!  It is reassuring because sometimes the battle here is fierce.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  (Ephesians 6:12)

The enemy of our souls is relentless in his efforts to blind us to who You really are, Lord, and how much You love us.  He is forever (so it seems) lying to us about who we really are — Your sons and daughters, for whom You have won an eternal life with an abundance of all that is most precious to You.

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”  (Ephesians 3:20)

Sometimes the battle is one day at a time.  Sometimes, one thought at a time.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  (2 Corinthians 10:5)

Sometimes, we fight the good fight, by Your Spirit, for ourselves… on the battlefield of our own minds.  Sometimes, we fight it for others… by helping to bring Your Truth onto their “radar screens.”

“We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:14-15)

By Your Grace, Lord, I am reminded that the war has already been won.  You saw to that… didn’t You, Jesus?

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”  (Colossians 2:15)

So many Truths!  Truths that inspire me to long for more of You, Lord.  Truths that reassure me about a priceless future that will last far longer than any present pain.  Truths that remind me of the Infinite Source of all I will ever need for Victory… today and forever.

“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”  (Ephesians 6:10-11)

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Lead on, Lord… until that precious day when we are finally — and forever — face-to-face!

Abba’s Girl