Our Christian Hope

On This Day

If we were ever asked to give a "State of our Nation" address there would be many reasons for thanksgiving and gratitude.  We, as a people, have far, far more blessings than we deserve.  We marvel at God's patience and long-suffering toward us.  We rejoice in the beauty of our land: the swift sunrise, the joy of cooking a freshly landed a fish on hot coals on the beach to feed the family; or the glory of the dawn or sunset bird chorus, ringing forth in praise to our Creator.

These things have become so common place, so plentiful as it were, that we seldom think of them or value them highly enough.  In so many ways we have become like spoilt children, with a  perpetually stretched forth, demanding more.  Yet, in a comparative sense there are multitudinous numbers of people upon this planet who have never known or experienced such a rich and beauteous bounty.  What we take for granted in this country, others would gape at in astonishment, should they ever experience it.

Particularly for those of us who live in New Zealand, living on this earth is  to partake in and enjoy a constant marvel.  Here we get a vision or foretaste--more so than many upon the earth--of the recreated and restored earth to come.

We have come to understand by God's grace that upon death, our souls will ascend in Christ to the Father, to heaven, to the multitude of angels and our forebears, to have our joy and praise join theirs before the throne of glory.  We know that this is the house prepared for us by our Saviour.

But, we also know that glorious as it is and will be for us, His people, it will not be complete.
 It will be a glorious prepared hotel--but a hotel after all.  It is where we will abide for a time, on route to our final destination.  The final resting place--and place of eternal service--will be back upon the Earth.  Here.  Recreated, perfected, glorious beyond imagination and ability to conceive.  It is here that Christ will take up His eternal abode.  And it is here that we will serve Him for eternity.

All the devastating consequences of Adam's sin will be removed; the original glories of the perfect creation will have been, not just preserved, but developed and expanded and completed in ways far greater than Adam ever could have achieved.

As we grow old and die, we have two great certainties before us.  Upon death our souls ascend into the very presence of God and the angels.  But we also die knowing that we shall return, back to Our Place, transformed and extended and developed to be Heaven Upon Earth.  As we experience the glories of this creation, even though it presently groans under the weight of sin, those very glories are a foretaste of what the earth will one day become and be.  [Romans 8: 18-25]  Paul says that this is the very hope of our salvation.

The glories and beauties of this earth which, at times, leave us breathless in wonder, adoration and praise, are not a passing thing.  They are a foretaste, a leader, a trailer,  In the final redeeming and resurrection of our bodies lies the redemption and recreation of the entire earth.  This is our great hope; it is what Christ has secured by His resurrection.

It is the significance of New Year's Day.