New Year Series – Endure
Isaiah 66:22 – “For as the new heavens and the new earth that I am about to make will endure before me,” says the LORD, “so will your descendants and your name endure. 23 – And from New Moon to New Moon and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all humanity will come to worship before me,” says the LORD.
If there is one thing my typical new year’s resolutions lack it is this: endurance. I’m so thankful that God has plans that will endure. His new heaven and new earth will have with it a ‘new normal’ with no coronavirus, social distancing, or masks associated with it. In fact, this new normal as described in Revelation 21:4 will have no death, grief, crying, or pain. He has promised that this new normal will endure.
There’s something else that will endure – the Sabbath. Remember God made the Sabbath when He rested on the seventh day of the week from creating this first world including humanity. (Genesis 2:1-3) The Sabbath will continue to endure – why? Because God, who has defeated death and pain will be worshiped by all humanity. Imagine every illness, every addiction and every pain (and I’m getting new ones as I get older) gone forever! Imagine never having to attend another funeral again for eternity and knowing that the person responsible for achieving all this is Jesus Christ! – I will never forget Him! I will always worship Him! I resolve to be among the humans described in Isaiah 66:23 that will come to worship before Jesus every Sabbath in the new heaven and new earth!!
We can make a fresh start today. Today is the first Sabbath of 2021. Let us resolve each Sabbath to rest and remember what Jesus did when He died on the cross and rose again to secure a place for us with Him. A place that He will bring us to when He returns. A place where our lives will endure with His for all eternity.
Happy New Year and Happy Sabbath!
Where two are gathered 