Dwells With Us - Rebecca Parkinson

Your steadfast love endures forever. You watch over our lives, never taking your eyes off us. You never age or grow weak. You are our constant companion, in good times and in those of suffering, loneliness and want. In times of abundance, love and friendship. You never change like shifting shadows or shifting sands. You said, “I am the Lord, I do not change.”*

You are still seated on your throne in the heavenly realm. You take delight in every one of our thoughts. You alone determine our steps, our present and future, as you have done with our past.

We are never naked in this world when clothed with your light and love. We are never hungry when fed by your word. We may suffer lack and physical hunger. We may be struck down by disease and death, but we are never outside of your presence. You always walk alongside us enjoying the journey. Our constant companion and best friend for life. There is none like you Lord.

These were my thoughts as I walked the path this morning. It was cold, but the sun felt warm on my face. Not too many people were stirring. Just the birds and I kept company. What struck me was that God is ever present, all of the time. He never takes a coffee break or needs a nap. And, He lives in us. Somehow, by some miracle, we hold the triune God in us as a deposit for what is to come. And what is yet to come? God will dwell with us.

In Revelation, when God establishes His final kingdom, the scripture says that there will be no night and no need for a lamp or the sun because God will provide all the necessary light.** He will dwell with us and light up our world forever. If that is not good news, I don’t know what is!

Revelation describes the New Jerusalem that will come down out of heaven and be our home. What a magnificent picture.

“The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. But I saw no temple in the city because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” (Rev. 21:21-23)

This past summer I went gemming at one of the many mines in North Carolina. Just the sheer volume of precious stones that I found in one bucket of sand was amazing. Even uncut they are beautiful. The new Jerusalem will have gems cut to perfection to display God’s glory. These gems truly are a heavenly representation of His beauty. Sometime, take a moment and look up the gems that are listed above. Then imagine what this new Jerusalem will look like glowing with the light of the Lord!

It will be magnificent. But more lovely will be the fact that we will be able to see God dwelling with us. The heavenly realm will be our realm. We will not be separated from him having a flesh that wants its own way. We will be in perfect accord.

So as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one who makes all this possible, ponder what it will be like to have God dwelling with you. He came and dwelt with us for a little while, but we get to dwell with Him throughout eternity.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Revelation 21:3 NIV

*Malachi 3:6 NKJV

** Revelation 22:5 NIV

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