Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

25 July 2024

Reading From Isaiah 40-43

“A voice says, “Cry out.”
    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

“All people are like grass,
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.”

You who bring good news to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    “Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
    and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young”

–Isaiah 40:6-11

     Even the most faithful person will one day pass from this Earth.  Life here is so fleeting.  The oldest living person in the United States is Elizabeth Francis.  She lives in Houston, Texas and recently had her 115^th birthday.  Even her long lifetime is but a blip on the radar screen of eternity.  But Miss Francis serves Jesus Christ and so she, as our sister in the Lord, is connected to all of us and to God by His Spirit for all eternity. 

     Although her physical body will one day perish, her spirit will immediately be in the Presence of the Lord.  To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  The Lord is not limited by time and space and so I believe time will pass for her in an instant and we will rejoice with her in our resurrected bodies and enjoy perfect oneness in the New Eden.  These earthly tents, with our limitations, pains and illnesses, will one day turn to dust.   

     Even the strongest men and women will become frail and wither like grass, but God’s Word is sure, unchanging and strong.  We have His promise that when the trumpet of God shall sound, the dead in Christ will rise and we who are living will be caught up to meet them in the air and our bodies will be transformed.  I imagine that we will be the best versions of ourselves; strong, healthy and without blemish.  The reason I believe this is that sin and all of its effects will not be present in the Presence of our Creator.

     God cares for you more deeply than you will ever know this side of eternity.  He isn’t like the deaf and mute false gods.  We do not worship created things, we are eternally connected to the Creator Himself.  He not only makes promises to His children, He has the unlimited power and might to ensure that every Word He has ever spoken will come true without fail.  Hallelujah! 

If He says that He is preparing a place for us, then we can rest assured that He is.  If He tells us that Eden will be restored and that we will be partakers of His divine nature and be united as one with Him, we can have peace of mind because we know that He will make it happen. His Word will never fail. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He is the Perfect Parent and He patiently guides us as we parent our own children and disciple others. “He gently leads those that have young.”

     He carries your spirit with the greatest of care, close to His heart, safe and secure.  He keeps us right up next to Him.  He leads us into our destiny as a tender and loving Shepherd.  Scripture reveals that from the moment you are born again, you are sealed to Him by His Spirit and we are seated with Him on high in the heavenly realms.  Noone and nothing can harm us.  God takes excellent care of us. To live is Christ and to die is gain.  We can rest assured.

“O Lord my God, I am in awe of Your power and might.  Thank You that You back up what You promise with Your infinite strength and the firm foundation of Your Word.  We are grateful for the treasure trove of comfort found in Your Scriptures and the tender embrace of You, Holy Spirit, our ever present Comforter.  Remind our limited minds of the limitless depth of Your love and compassion for us, the sheep of Your flock.  We praise and glorify Your holy Name.  Thank You Jesus.  Amen.”

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

–I Thessalonians 4:16-17

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 –Ephesians 2:6-9

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.

–John 14:3-4