Blessed Restoration

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.

— Revelation 21:4

Different. That’s what we want, right? Few people in the world would say, “There is nothing wrong in my life or in the world. There’s nothing I wish was different.” We might feel okay with the way things are. At times, life might even seem pretty good. But none of us have ever, at any point, believed nothing needs to change.

Because it does. This isn’t how God intended life to be.

The Bible makes that clear. From the first page to the last, the story comes full circle in the most beautiful, promising way. Because that’s who God is. The first two chapters of the Bible describe the paradise God created for man on earth, and the last two chapters of the Bible describe the eternal paradise God creates for us in the new creation. We go from paradise being lost through sin in Genesis 3 to paradise being restored through the fulfillment of God’s completed work in Revelation 21–22.

Paradise was lost. Sin brought the curse into the human experience. Sin brought pain and grief, offense and betrayal, conflict and hatred, sickness and death.

But that is the beginning and middle of the story, not the end. The end of the story includes the breaking of the curse—once and for all time. Jesus laid down His life so we could understand there’s a greater life He intends for us to live for eternity. For those who trust in Jesus, there is coming a blessed restoration of all things that will last forever.

Are you trusting in Jesus Christ? There is a day coming when every wrong will be made right and you won’t want anything different. With Jesus, you’ll finally be home.

• Listen to Matthew West’s “To Be with Jesus.” What lyrics stand out to you as particularly encouraging? Which stand out to you as challenging?
• Read Psalm 84 and Philippians 1:23-24. Why did the psalmist and the apostle Paul long for heaven?
• Praise God that He is restoring all things. Ask Him to help you live on earth as one who is fully present but with a clear focus on eternity.