They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD – the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more. Jeremiah 31:12
This verse could indeed lead some to expect heaven on earth, but when you look closer, you see that the words are referring to heaven, not earth. As long as there are sinful people, there will be some sort of sorrow, even in the midst of a joyous feast. But we have a Savior in Jesus.
Jesus has redeemed us from all the sorrows of this sinful world, and He will come back to take us to a place where there will be no sorrow. Heaven isn’t some place where ghostly waifs float about among the clouds. Heaven is real … the place of a heavenly banquet where we can shout for joy that God gives us wonderful things. God gave us His very best when He gave us His Son Jesus to be our Savior, so we can also believe that He won’t withhold from us those things that bring joy.
There are joys in our lives now because God provides us generously with daily bread – those things we need each day. But our joy is mixed with sorrow because we live in a world of sin and death, and yet, we live in a confident hope until Jesus returns in glory.
Prayer: Eternal and everlasting Father, we give You thanks for all Your blessings of the year now past. Guide us through this coming year that we may be faithful, always looking to You to forgive our sin through Jesus Christ. We look forward to Christ’s coming again in Glory to fulfill our salvation and take us home to be with You. Amen .
© 2006 Lutheran Hour Ministries
These devotions have been written by Rev. Paul and Kaye Wolff. Rev. Paul Wolff is a 1996 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He has served as a pastor in the Detroit area for 10 years. He and co-author wife, Kaye, live in Southfield, Michigan.
Kaye Dumas Wolff is Chairperson of the Black Ministry Church Planting Task Force and a Mission Affiliate of LCMS World Missions where she serves as a training facilitator for laity in evangelism and mission work. Kaye serves on the Advisory Council of the Ethnic Immigrant Institute of Theology of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, and she is a presenter for Lutheran Hour Ministries’ Equipping to Share Workshop.
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Today's Bible Readings: Genesis 1-3 Matthew 1
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