Daily Worship

An Audacious Hope

Katy Emslie-Smith May 11, 2014 0 0

Rev 21:1-5

A new heaven and a new earth

21 Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death”or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’

5 He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’
 

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 “Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,”[a]
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the centre of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
“he will lead them to springs of living water.”[b]
    “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”[c]’

God,
Could we believe this?
Could we believe that you have counted every tear
And will wipe each one from our eyes?
Could we believe that every cry of the human heart 
Will be gathered in golden bowls of incense,
The prayers of all the saints,
That there will be silence in heaven 
While you listen to every prayer uttered in loss?

Could we believe this audacious hope
For the newness of all things?

Dare we hope for the bright morning star
To rise on a day
When there will be no more death,
No more crying or mourning or pain?

Lord, we dare.
We dare to believe.
We dare to hope.
Alleluiah!

 

by Katy Emslie-Smith