This past week, we closed our services with a song called “Hymn of Heaven.” On the surface, this is a pretty sad song.
“How I long to breathe the air of heaven,
where pain is gone and mercy fills the street.”
“And every prayer we prayed in desperation,
The songs of faith we sang through doubt and fear.”
These lyrics talk about all of the pain, death, fear, doubt, and desperation in the world. I’m sure as you are reading this right now, you have something in your mind right now that you or someone you are close to is going through. That situation that is going south or that condition that is getting worse. This song talks about all that and those moments of bringing them to God. But it also talks about a deeper hope that goes beneath the sadness.
The hope that we have waiting for us in heaven.
Like John writes in Revelation:
““Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”
Revelation 21:1-5 NIV
This hope has been guaranteed for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus on the Cross.
This is where the chorus of the song comes in:
“There will be a day when all will bow before Him
There will be a day when death will be no more
Standing face to face with He who died and rose again
Holy, holy is the Lord.”
We are loved by the one who defeated death, and who reigns for all eternity. So the things of this world that are causing the pain, death, fear, doubt, and desperation, are all going to fade away because they don’t have power over the King of the Universe.
But knowing that all of these things will fade away also gives us power now in the moment. We know these issues will fade, so why should we let them have power over us in the moment when we know the final victory is ours? So despite the wearies of this world, whatever you may be battling today, we can worship our God today in both joy and sorrow.
So let it be today that we shout the hymn of heaven. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty.
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