eternity

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 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.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ...

Revelation 21:1-6

In eternity, my uncle Byron's leg won't hurt from his accident anymore. He'll be able to run around like he used to.

His leukemia and whatever else is wrong with his body right now will be gone.

I won't have to watch his daughter, my sweet cousin and best friend, grieve over the sight of her dad on a ventilator. I won't be holding her in a hospital waiting room. We'll be as joyful as we were when we were small children, before the world became dark and sad.

Christmas will be untainted by grief.

I'll see my big brother Joseph who passed away in 2004. We'll have a lot of catching up to do.

I'll hunt down all my heroes, Jane Austen, Martin Luther, and so many others in that great host of saints. And ask them lots of questions.

I'll explore every canyon and cave of the New Earth, and maybe the New Outer Space too.

I will meet my Savior, who loved me when I was his enemy, and he'll walk with me as my King and Friend. I can't find words to describe the joy of that promise. Jesus' return seems so distant at times, but at others I can almost see the golden city, smell the pure air of a perfectly renewed planet, hear the singing of the millions of saints and angels, feel my God's exuberant love for all his children as we kneel before the throne.

Come back soon.