"He has prepared for them a city"

     A few years ago I was returning to Lexington from Michigan. I drove through Ann Arbor, passed Toledo, through Bowling Green and Dayton, and then reached Cincinnati. As I drove through it occurred to me that I’ll probably always consider that city home. I know many of the streets and buildings like the back of my hand. There is an easy familiarity and comfort with Cincinnati that I have not developed with any other city.

     However, such thoughts also make me think of the lessons learned from Hebrews 11:13-16. “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

     Truly it doesn’t matter where I live on this earth. Whether I am in Lexington, Cincinnati, or a city on the other side of the globe, I am merely spending up the days of my exile. It is up to me to make sure that I do not allow myself to become so attached to a place. It is up to me to make sure that I am a useful and active instrument for the Father regardless of my location in this world. Through the eyes of faith I see my homeland and everything that I do here on earth, and in whatever location I do it, is just preparation for that city to be revealed after my Lord returns.

     Think of that place, my friends! I have heard so many Christians say things very similar to what I said at the beginning of this article. So many speak of their home, talking about some place in this country. They speak with longing in their hearts and a far away look in their eyes. Even if we have the opportunity to return to the earthly city we think of as home, how will that change our current condition? We will still have to struggle with sickness. We will still have to struggle with death. We will still have to struggle with temptation. We will still have to struggle with sorrows. In the end, one city is just as good as another when it comes to changing the things all humans must face because none of them can do it. 

     However, one place can. “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).

      Whatever troubles us here will not trouble us there. There will be no sitting in cold, stark waiting rooms while a loved one is being operated on. There will be no gazing down upon the face of friends and family for the final time as the casket is closed. There will be no worry, pain, or sorrow. There will be the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surrounded by the saints singing endless songs of praise. There will be our faithful loved ones who have gone before waiting to embrace and welcome us. There will be eternal paradise.

     “I’ve a home prepared where the saints abide, just over in the glory-land. And I long to be by my Savior’s side, just over in the glory-land.” Perhaps I’ll find myself back in Cincinnati one day. Perhaps you’ll find yourself back in whatever city holds a special place in your heart. Though in the end it really doesn’t matter, does it? I just want to go home! What about you?