Isaiah 51:4-6 - Give attention to Me, My people, and give ear to Me, My nation; for a law will go out from Me, and I will set My justice for a light to the peoples. My righteousness draws near, My salvation has gone out, and My arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for Me, and for My arm they wait. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will never be dismayed.

There's some comfort in God's permanence. As I get older, I see more and more people dying around me—people I love, some of them even younger than I. I see other things pass away—former congregations, organizations I worked with, schools where I tutored students. Smaller things go, too—a tree I loved, a dog that grew old long before me. It's hard to take, having things pass away.

God knows we feel this way, because He did not make us for a world of death and loss. It wasn't supposed to be this way. But of course humanity fell for the devil's tricks, when we first turned away from God; and the result is this broken world we live in. And yet we still see enough of God's original plan that we grieve when all the beauty and glory we love passes away.

God intends to make this situation right. That's why Jesus came for us—to mend us and all creation through His own self-sacrifice. He is remaking us through His own blood, at the cost of His own life. We will not stay broken. Our world will not stay broken—He is remaking that, too. He Himself has risen from the dead, never to die again, and He will do the same thing for us. His salvation is forever.

So now we are waiting as patiently as we can for the day His promise is fulfilled: "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind" (Isaiah 65:17). I expect it will be a creation filled with wonders. But the best of all will be our Lord Himself, who loves us, and made us His own.

THE PRAYER: Father, help me to look forward to Your kingdom. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you love most about this world?

2. What do you look forward to about the world to come?

3. How does Jesus Christ—"the same yesterday, and today, and forever"—comfort you by His permanence?

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 3-4    1 Timothy 3

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