13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
Are you looking forward to the new heaven, or are you enjoying earth too much? What is truly mind-boggling is that there is a new heaven and a new earth. We will not be sitting on some clouds in the sky by and by. There will be a place that will seem familiar to us as inhabitants of earth. The picture we see in Scripture is written using pictures that let us glimpse in human terms the glories of heaven. No human words are able to capture it because it will be so wonderful. But one thing we can see from this verse is that this new home is a place where righteousness rules. Or to put it another way, there is no sin or its consequences there. Can you imagine a place with no anger, bitterness, pain, sorrow, selfishness or greed? All that makes life on earth difficult does not exist there. Even the inner turmoils of our life are gone. No more regrets or haunting memories. No more “I should have.” I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to leaving this side of life as we know it. But I will miss the closeness and intimacies of the friendship I have made. Or will I? If God designed us to be in relationship with Him and with each other, then in heaven there will be nothing that hinders those relationships. Even the best relationships will fade in comparison to those in heaven. And all our relationships will make the word ‘deep’ look shallow. We will be able to be fully ourselves, no walls and no need to hold back because righteousness is at home. I guess, if righteousness is at home there, we need to get used to righteousness now. We need to make our hearts a place where righteousness can settle in and feel comfortable. But that means we need to clean house and remove those things that keep righteousness from moving into every corner of our being. Are you ready for this kind of new relationship with righteousness?
The Arnold Journey 