Preparation and Provision-9/20/2011

"In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3

God has always set us up for success. He has done so through preparation and provision. Think about it. He prepared the earth as a dwelling place full of all we need to live. In the midst of our disobedience, He prepared a way for us to multiply and to be fruitful. When we went our own way and did our own thing, He set aside a people through whom salvation for all mankind would come. He provided them with love, laws and land to preserve them. Through them He prepared a savior who would provide the opportunity for both restoration to the originally intended relationship with Himself and deliverance from that which would keep us in spiritual darkness and cause our ultimate destruction.

Even now, beloved, that preparation continues. As a bird builds a nest, as a parent prepares the nursery, Jesus is preparing a place for those who desire to be with him. Note that we are to be housed together as a family. Note also that we are not simply left to find our way but that he is coming to retrieve us.

As we go through the ups and downs of our daily lives and the worries and cares of this world, let our spirits be lifted by the fact that preparations are being made for us. Let us be encouraged that our separation from He who made us will come to a permanent end. Let us experience joy that just as with the return of the prodigal son, a great banquet, robe of righteousness and a signet ring of identification awaits us.

One day, we will all go home.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee

The Great Anticipation-DD 1/3/2011

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3

The hope of every Christian is to see his or her Savior face to face and to live with him for eternity. How gratifying it is to know that despite our sinful nature, we have a Lord that sees past our sins and takes care of our needs. Surely we need to be sin-less people, but for those that walk in the light, the blood of Jesus cleanses of all sin.

This cleansing is necessary to our salvation. It is only through this process that we can look forward with great anticipation to the promises that he has made. Imagine Christ preparing places for us in God's heavenly house. This means that we will be in close proximity to the Father. It means that we will have access to Him. It means that He has made arrangements for us to interact with Him.

Beloved, we look forward with baited breath to many things. It may be a birthday, anniversary, holiday or vacation, but whatever we cast our hearts favorably toward, pales in comparison to our anticipated access to the Lord. What a great day that will be. Let us live lives commensurate with the privilege we have in Him.

Loving Like Jesus,

Lee