christmas + hope + tears + joy + eternity

     I have been thinking about heaven a lot lately; how in comparison this world is dark, and foggy, and temporary. So very temporary. I've been thinking about how all the Christians will be living together, forever, in heaven. 

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

That verse from Revelation literally brings me to tears of joy. In heaven, death and mourning and crying won't exist. I can't count all the times I have cried on this earth because of a painful experience I went through. Thinking about how, in heaven, I won't have a reason to do that anymore, is beautiful. I can't even say how beautiful that is. NO PAIN ANYMORE. In heaven, we'll experience joy after joy and we will walk day by day by day forever in this perfect, untainted, eternal joy with the light of our beloved Jesus as the sun. 

     I can't wait to see my Jesus. 

I can just imagine running into his arms, and finally seeing him who helped me through the trials of life on the earth. Oh, to actually SEE with my eyes my wonderful Savior! To have walked by faith and not by sight for so long, being "strong in the Lord and in his mighty power," and then to have sin banished from me and all pain and suffering gone. Forever. I'm crying as I write this. :)

     It's amazing to me that Jesus left all that splendor and joy and perfect peace and happiness in heaven to appear in this dark, gloomy, foggy, sin-saturated world. And all for love. He experienced a painful death completely opposite to everything in heaven, and thus opened the door for us to have hope of being free from ultimate death. It's amazing. It's amazing that Jesus would love us so much. 

     I think this is really what Christmas is all about. The hope of being with the Savior for eternity. Jesus came, he ministered, he died, he rose, he ascended, and he will return. Whether we reach our true home through the death of our bodies, or if we live until he comes again into this dark world, we, as Christians, will finally live the life of Eden; the life Adam and Eve lived before they fell. We will finally be relieved from the suffering and pain and grief of this fleeting life. Finally. Then we will see our God. Oh, beautiful, beautiful thought. 

     I think about all of the pain I have gone through and am experiencing now, and think about how I cry out to Jesus to help me. I think about how he does help me, though it may not be the way I expect or want. Then I think about how when I leave this sinful world behind, I will SEE that very same Jesus who was listening to my pleas for help, and I will rest in his arms and be free of all pain forever.

     I repeated myself quite a bit, I know. I just can't get past the wonder and the beauty of it all. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:20

On that note, Merry Christmas!

-Sarah :)