Revelation 7:15-17
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
No matter how hard this life gets, there is a home for all of those who have sought shelter in Christ. There is simply nothing to compare to the beauty of what we see before the throne of God.
Those who have been forgiven of their sins in Christ will serve God like priests in the temple. They will find shelter, rest, and peace in the presence of the Almighty. No dangers will ever frighten them. No hardships will ever hurt them again. No hunger or thirst will ever weaken them.
Those who enter heaven will never again feel the harshness of nature—no tornados, no floods, no blizzards, and no heat waves. Never again will they worry about a drought. Never again will they feel discomfort. Never again will a day be too hot or too cold, too humid or too dry.
But verse 17 is most beautiful to me. The Lamb of God, Jesus himself, will be the shepherd of God’s people. Just as you have often read in Psalm 23, Jesus will lead his sheep beside still waters. Jesus will give his followers the true, soul-satisfying, living water that will never fade. Never again will we thirst in any way. We will not desire something that we cannot have. All of our needs will be met in the perfection of the presence of the Lord.
Then we see the glorious promise that the Lord will wipe away every tear from the eyes of his children. There will be no more crying. There will be no more sorrow. There will be no more grief. Finally, for all eternity, there will be perfect joy, perfect peace, perfect rest, perfect satisfaction.
Christians, God wants you to hear these words, and he wants you to long for heaven. He wants you to set your heart on what you see here. He wants you to desire the satisfaction that only he can give. Do not settle for less. Do not settle for the petty pleasures of this life. Hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God, and he will fill your soul with joy.
Pastor Travis Peterson 