Oh the “Dog Days” of summer. The days begin to look all alike (especially the smoky ones) and routines become, well…routine.
During this time of year I grow weary of watering my small vegetable garden twice a day – keeping the heat out of the house and the “conditioned” air in – mowing lawns and setting sprinklers; things that were relaxing in May and June become chores. I’m ready to give my squash plants over to the bugs so I can quit worrying about it, I’m tired of the battle.
Did you ever stop to think about how much you do to compensate for what is lacking in this world. We must build canals and string hoses because it doesn’t rain enough. As God said to Adam in Genesis 3:19 “By the sweat of your brow you will have food to eat…” so we must work every day to meet our basic needs. The Bible says that’s because of sin…I guess that makes it so because the scriptures say it.
So what do we do but wait for change. I wait for the temporary relief of fall and winter when the ground doesn’t need my constant care. I look farther into the future and anticipate retirement when our savings and investments meet our needs and we need not work every day to put food on the table.
But more than all that I look forward to Heaven, where nothing is lacking and no compensation is necessary. Where there are no “Dog Days”, no need for changing seasons, no desire for retirement.
I hope each of you have had that moment in your life when you could think of nothing that would add to the moment. When thoughts didn’t stray to better times or future events – when it seems that the world could stop spinning and you would be happy forever. A rapturous moment of love and awe many have felt, or any mountain-top event we are certain we will never equal.
I hope you have had that moment because in that moment you can imagine eternal life with God.
John 14, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
Imagine a place where no imagination is necessary. No wants. No unmet needs. Living in the moment for all eternity. No evil (Rev. 21:27), not even a thorn or biting insect to look out for. All we need for nourishment growing on its own (Rev. 22:2), no planting or watering. No curse (Rev. 22:3), no sickness or pain, just an intense desire to worship God. No need for the night (Rev. 22:5), no need for rest; no sunburns, no shadows, no sunglasses, no sweat on the brow; just the perfect day without end.
Aside from a physical description of the Eternal City, including gold and pearls and precious stones there is little told us about the goings on in the city except for spontaneous worship. But there are a couple of curious statements that tell us we will not lose our individuality. Revelation 21:24 says “The nations will walk in its light” and verse 26 says “all the nations will bring their glory and honor into the city”. And Revelation 22:2 tells us, of the trees growing in the new city, “The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations.” Curious and exciting.
So, while dreaming your way out of your rut don’t neglect dreaming of the end of dreams. The place we can scarcely imagine that will be the end of our imagination. The place of our hope at which we will relinquish the need to hope ever again.
D.L. Moody said…"Some day you will read in the papers, ''D. L. Moody of East Northfield is dead.'' Don''t you believe a word of it!...At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal -- a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body…That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”