The events of the past two weeks have been heartbreaking and eye-opening. I was horrified and heartbroken when I saw the video of the police officer who put his knee on the neck of George Floyd. I was heartbroken when I saw George die right before our eyes. I was heartbroken to see a man who was gravely mistreated and not valued. What a tragedy that should have never happened! 

Since the death of George Floyd it has been eye-opening for me to see how people have responded. Many have responded with anger while others have responded with fear. Still there are others who are, like me, sad. I'm sad that this man's life was taken. I'm sad that many people feel mistreated and unheard. I'm sad that there is racism today. I'm sad to know our nation's history of racial injustice. I'm sad to see monuments destroyed. I'm sad to see buildings and businesses burned down and people losing their jobs. I'm sad to see cars turned over and people getting killed or hurt.

We are living in some serious and sad times. We are dealing with a virus pandemic that this world has never seen. It's a pandemic that is taking lives and forcing people out of jobs. We are also dealing with a world where people are not treated with respect or love.

My friends, we need Jesus, and we need Him now! I long to see a society where the walls of hostility are torn down. I long to see a society where men and women of different ethnicities can respect each other and put the other person above themselves. I long to see a society where viruses are no more and people no longer live in fear.

The good news is there is such a society, and it's called Heaven. In the book of Revelation, we see a beautiful picture of Heaven:

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb (Revelation 7:9-10).'"

When John wrote the book of Revelation through the Holy Spirit, he saw a vision of Heaven in that a great number of people from every nation, tribe, people, and language were standing together before the throne of Jesus and holding palm branches (symbolizing salvation) and praising Jesus for their salvation as they were with Him and each other for all eternity! 

This, my friends, is what God intends. This is what life is all about! Different people from different places and different cultures all joining together under 1 God: Jesus Christ. It doesn't get any better than this! Boy, do I long for this day to come soon!

In the midst of my sadness this week, I was reminded of some great news. Although we are not in Heaven yet, we still are able to see glimpses of Heaven through the work of Jesus today. In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul described how Gentiles and Jews used to have hostility towards one another and were separated and segregated from each other. But, Jesus came to destroy the barriers and the walls of hostility between them.

For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility...He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through Him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit (Ephesians 2:14, 17-18).

Did you catch that? Jesus is our Peace, and He is the One who brings people together. He preaches peace to us, and it is only through Jesus that we can get to God the Father and one day be in Heaven. Then, Paul says something powerful:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone. In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Because Jesus brings us peace and brings us together in His name, we are no longer foreigners of God's household, but we are fellow citizens and children of God. Jesus is the cornerstone that holds us all together. He is building us together to become a dwelling in which God's Spirit lives in us.

My friends, in a world of division, unrest, and chaos, we can find peace. We can find unity. We can find love. True peace, true unity, and true love is found only in Jesus Christ.

We need Jesus and we need Him now! We can begin to see a society where the walls of hostility are torn down. We can begin to see a society where men and women of different ethnicities can respect each other and put the other person above themselves. We can begin to see a society where people no longer live in fear. We can even begin to see glimpses of Heaven as described in Revelation 7:9-11.

Do you know how we can begin to see these things? Jesus Christ. 

If you have not committed your life to following Jesus today, please don't let another day go by without confessing your sins, believing He died on the cross to forgive your sins, and begin serving Him as your King. When you do this, you will begin to see, along with other Believers, a changed society.

 

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