I celebrated my fortieth birthday in a park next to Lake Michigan with family and close friends, a potluck of snacks and sweets, and beautiful weather. Normally I don’t like attention, but turning forty was worth celebrating. The day was soaked in joy, laughter, and the sweetness of loved ones all in one place.
Think of your sweetest celebration. As special as it was, our greatest parties pale in comparison to what is waiting for us when we join with the angels in singing the glory of God and what He has done through Jesus.
Today’s reading picks up where evil ended and a time of rejoicing has come. God completed what He intended to do, bringing in the fullness of His glory and ushering a heavenly reign on earth. A vast multitude are gathered in praise, revering the righteousness of Jesus and grandness of God. We were created to worship, and here our calling finally comes together.
This celebration is the culmination of God’s story of provision, redemption, and victory; it is the welcome home party we have been waiting for. The Lamb of God who was slain for the sin of this world has overcome death. We will be in the presence of the Lord, who has made all things right. Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning (Psalm 30:5). This is where we will celebrate Jesus, where we will gather as His people under our God whom we will dwell with.
Every tear we have shed, every pain that has rung our heart, every bit of grief at the loss of loved ones—all will be healed and restored with Jesus. This gives us great expectancy while on earth, knowing there will be a day of great celebration and jubilee like we have never known as we join with all of creation, together at last with our Creator.
We can prepare today for that future celebration. Let’s notice and give thanks for what God has brought us: the trees, the weather, the people around us, the breath in our lungs, and the assurance that we are never alone. As we wait to receive our King in full, we can look for ways to share God‘s love with those around us, like an encouraging word, dropping a card in the mail, or taking time to listen to someone’s story.
We can celebrate the kingdom-come-to-earth while looking forward to the day when that kingdom will be made complete. Revelation can be difficult to read at times, but we can take heart in the steadfast love of God and how His plans are greater than anything we can understand. And for those who love and place their hope in Jesus, we will live with God and fully experience the richness of life in Him. We get to celebrate the victory of Jesus, His resurrection, and His making His home with His people. Glory to God!
Written by Sarah Freymuth
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78 thoughts on "Celebration in Heaven"
Can you just imagine the celebration of being with our Lord! Amazing!
Hello shes, I will be driving out of town today for work (been so busy). I would appreciate your prayers for safe driving. Snow and ice have made their appearance. Thank you and God bless you.
Praying, Mercy!!! ❤
Praying Mercy for safe travels and arrivals..hugs..❤
I’m not sure I why I was so afraid to study Revelation. There is hope in this book. Looking forward to the time that we will be HOME with God.
Amen, Traci! That’s exactly how I came away from the study last year with Jen Wilkin! ❤
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Hugs, Traci..❤❤
…the trees (here in NorCal they are a BEAUTIFUL sight this time of year, the colors are breath taking), the weather (it’s only been lately that it has gotten colder brr), the people around us (going to miss my little munchkins who bring me SO much joy), the breath in our lungs (thankful I can still run and my lungs are still strong, though its COLD outside brr), ASSURANCE that we are never alone! Never alone! Not even for a moment! Because of THIS promise we will all get to see “our” Jesus face-to-face! AND can’t wait to meet all of you someday. For now I’m sending you a tight squeeze across-the-pond (LOVE you sweet Tina).
Hugs right back Mari..❤
He wins in the end, you know. ❤️ (Of course, there is lots of “winning” before the end!)
Dear Shes
I can cower in fear as I read about fierce battles. But risk closing my eyes to a timeless climatic resolution. King of Kings. Lord of Lords.
Behold the celebratory vision! Available to me in present tense.
When I look for ways to share the love of God… speak an encouraging word…send a ‘just because’ card in the mail…send a supportive text message…take time to listen to someone’s story, especially a child…give a shoulder to cry on…lean into the little moments…join in song…”
God, let me not wait until final reckoning.
God, help me live true to the greatest expectation.
God, grant me an unfettered heart and unbound spirit.
I pray these things boldly, into a certain future, starting here, in this sure space.
Have a wonderful-filled Wednesday, my beloveds.
Hugs right back Mari..❤Amen, GWINETH52..❤
We know the end of the story! Our Jesus is victorious! He has already won the battle! He is faithful!
I loved all the songs, comments and beautiful stories of God’s faithfulness to you! What encouragement!
Stand firm She’s! The best is yet to come! Praying for a blessed Thanksgiving filled with joy that only comes from God!
a blessed Thanksgiving to you and family also and all my She sisters ❤️
We know the end of the story.. Amen..❤
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SARAH said, “we can take heart in the steadfast love of God and how His plans are greater than anything we can understand. And for those who love and place their hope in Jesus, we will live with God and fully experience the richness of life in Him. We get to celebrate the victory of Jesus, His resurrection, and His making His home with His people. Glory to God!”
THANK YOU, SARAH FREYMOUTH for this encouraging devo and for reminding us of the many things and ways regarding thanksgiving. Especially timely for those of us in the USA who will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Notes from John MacArthur Study Bible:
Five reasons for their praise emerge: 1) God’s deliverance of His people from their enemies (v. 1); 2) God’s meting out of justice (v. 2); 3) God’s permanent crushing of man’s rebellion (v. 3); 4) God’s sovereignty (v. 6); and 5) God’s communion with His people (v. 7).
v. 9- Blessed. See note on 1:3. those who are called. This is not the bride (the church), but the guests. The bride doesn’t get invited, she invites. These are those saved before Pentecost, all the faithful believers saved by grace through faith up to the birth of the church (Acts 2:1ff.). Though they are not the bride, they still are glorified and reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom. It is really differing imagery rather than differing reality. The guests also will include tribulation saints and believers alive in earthly bodies in the kingdom. The church is the bride, pure and faithful—never a harlot, like Israel was (see Hos. 2). So the church is the bride during the presentation feast in heaven, then comes to earth for the celebration of the final meal (the Millennium). After that event, the new order comes and the marriage is consummated (see notes on 21:1, 2). true sayings of God. This refers to everything since 17:1. It is all true—the marriage will take place after judgment.
v. 11- white horse. In the Roman triumphal processions, the victorious general rode his white war horse up the Via Sacra to the temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. Jesus’ first coming was in humiliation on a colt (Zech. 9:9). John’s vision portrays Him as the conqueror on His warhorse, coming to destroy the wicked, to overthrow the Antichrist, to defeat Satan, and to take control of the earth (cf. 2 Cor. 2:14). Faithful and True. True to His word, Jesus will return to earth (Matt. 24:27–31; see note on 3:14). in righteousness He judges. See 20:11–15; cf. Matt. 25:31ff.; John 5:25–30; Acts 17:31. makes war. This startling statement, appearing only here and 2:16, vividly portrays the holy wrath of God against sinners (cf. Ps. 7:11). God’s patience will be exhausted with sinful, rebellious mankind.
v. 13- The Word. Only John uses this title for the Lord (see Introduction: Author and Date). As the Word of God, Jesus is the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15); the express image of His person (Heb. 1:3); and the final, full revelation from God (Heb. 1:1, 2).
v. 14- armies in heaven. Composed of the church (v. 8), tribulation saints (7:13), OT believers (Jude 14; cf. Dan. 12:1, 2), and even angels (Matt. 25:31). They return not to help Jesus in the battle (they are unarmed), but to reign with Him after He defeats His enemies (20:4; 1 Cor. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:12). Cf. Ps. 149:5–9.
v. 17-21- These verses depict the frightening holocaust unparalleled in human history—the Battle of Armageddon, the pinnacle of the day of the Lord (see note on 1 Thess. 5:2).
It is not so much a battle as an execution, as the remaining rebels are killed by the Lord Jesus (v. 21;
see notes on 14:19, 20; cf. Ps. 2:1–9; Is. 66:15, 16;
Ezek. 39:1ff.; Joel 3:12ff.; Matt. 24, 25; 2 Thess. 1:7–9).
This day of the Lord was seen by Isaiah (66:15, 16),
Joel (3:12–21), Ezekiel (39:1–4, 17–20),
Paul (2 Thess. 1:6ff.; 2:8), and our Lord (Matt. 25:31–46).
…..
Wiersbe notes:
v. 16- Christ’s most important name is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” This is His victorious name (17:14), and it brings to mind references such as Deuteronomy 10:17 and Daniel 2:47. Paul used this same title for our Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Timothy 6:15. The title speaks of Christ’s sovereignty, for all kings and lords must submit to Him. No matter who was on the throne of the Roman empire, Jesus Christ was his King and Lord!
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Biblegateway verse of the day:
Hebrews 12:28-
Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
……
Hallelujah!!!
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The song that comes to mind – again-
The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah
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Love, hugs, and prayers! ❤
Chapter 20 notes:
From John MacArthur Study Bible-
v. 4the souls of those who had been beheaded. These are tribulation martyrs (cf. 6:9; 18:24; 19:2). The Gr. word translated “beheaded” became a general term for execution, not necessarily a particular method. his mark. See note on 13:16. Tribulation martyrs will be executed for refusing the mark of the beast. reigned. Tribulation believers, along with the redeemed from both the OT and NT eras, will reign with Christ (1 Cor. 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:12) during the 1,000-year kingdom.
v. 5- the rest of the dead. The bodies of unbelievers of all ages will not be resurrected until the Great White Throne Judgment (vv. 12, 13). first resurrection. Scripture teaches two kinds of resurrections: the “resurrection of life” and “the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:29; cf. Dan. 12:2; Acts 24:15). The first kind of resurrection is described as “the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14), the resurrection of “those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:23), and the “better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35). It includes only the redeemed of the church age (1 Thess. 4:13–18), the OT (Dan. 12:2), and the Tribulation (v. 4). They will enter the kingdom in resurrection bodies, along with believers who survived the Tribulation. The second kind of resurrection, then, will be the resurrection of the unconverted who will receive their final bodies suited for torment in hell.
v. 6- Blessed. Those who die in the Lord (14:13) are blessed with the privilege of entering His kingdom (see note on 1:3). second death. The first death is only physical, the second is spiritual and eternal in the lake of fire, the final, eternal hell (v. 14). It could exist outside the created universe as we know it, outside of space and time, and be presently unoccupied (see note on 19:20). thousand years.
Gog and Magog- Magog was the grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:2) and founder of a kingdom located N of the Black and Caspian Seas. Gog is apparently the leader of a rebel army known collectively as Magog.
v. 11-15 – These verses describe the final judgment of all the unbelievers of all ages (Matt. 10:15; 11:22, 24; 12:36, 41, 42; Luke 10:14; John 12:48; Acts 17:31; 24:25; Rom. 2:5, 16; Heb. 9:27; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; Jude 6). Our Lord referred to this event as the “resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:29). This judgment takes place in the indescribable void between the end of the present universe (v. 11) and the creation of the new heaven and earth (21:1).
Notes from Wiersbe NKJV Study Bible:
v. 4-6 – This period in history is known as “the millennium,” from two Latin words, mille (“thousand”) and annum (“year”)—the 1,000-year kingdom of Christ on earth. At last, Christ and His church will reign over the nations of the earth, and Israel will enjoy the blessings promised by the Lord (see Is. 2:1–5; 4:1–6; 11:1–9; 12:1–6; 30:18–26; 35:1–10).
v. 6- This kingdom will be a worldwide display of Christ’s glory, when all nature will be set free from the bondage of sin (Rom. 8:19–22). It will be the answer to the prayers of the saints, “Your kingdom come!” It will also be God’s final demonstration of the sinfulness of sin and the wickedness of the human heart apart from God’s grace.
That’s it for today! ☺❤
There is something wonderful about the Hallelujah chorus, right, Cee Gee?❤
Glory to God in the Heavens! ❤️
I’m so thankful for you, Jesus.
Happy Thanksgiving, sweet She’s!
I’ll be driving to Waco today to see my family. Thank you for always praying for me during holidays. ❤️
Good morning Martha!! Praying for safe travels. Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Praying now, Martha!!♥️
Always, Martha! Prayers for safety and a blessed sharing time.❤ ❤
Hopeful you have arrived safe and sound Martha.❤
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory.” Rev 19:6
All glory to God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords! it is so refreshing, encouraging, and praiseworthy to read of the great victory, hope and praise of heaven, that death and the enemy are doomed and defeated. Hallelujah. Praise our Almighty Lord. He reigns. Glory yo God. Amen✝️❤️
So many great song suggestions today. :)
All Things New
Lord,
when I picture the day
You make all things new,
my heart steadies.
Hope rises again.
.
You won’t let evil
speak the final word—
You’ll sweep it away,
every shadow, every wound,
gone in Your light.
.
And what I long for most
is what You promised:
You with us,
closer than breath,
no distance left between.
.
Forever.
.
Let that future
pull me forward.
Let it shape my steps,
my choices,
my love.
.
When the world feels heavy,
remind me where it’s heading—
toward Your healing,
Your presence,
Your forever-new day.
.
Thank You, Lord,
for finishing what You start.
.
Thank You that the end of the story
is You with us,
and us with You.
Amen.
Amen❤️
Amen.
Amen..❤
When we all get to heaven – what a day of rejoicing that will be, when we all see Jesus we’ll shout and sing the victory!!
—
Happy Wednesday She’s!
♥️
Glory to God! One of my favorite parts of today’s readings is Revelation 19:13– “He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.” It is the ultimate confirmation to the world of Jesus’s holiness— his godliness as part of the Holy Trinity— spoken of in John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus always was, is and will always be— the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. God ALWAYS had a plan from the moment of the fall. When humans became bound by sin and the enemy thought he had won, God had a plan the snake wasn’t expecting— the only human without blemish who would thwart Satan’s plan! Yes, God! If you don’t get excited by this kind of love that makes you want to shout a big “Yeah,” I don’t know what will. I love the great love story ever told.
Glory to You God!
Today, I awoke with the song of Moses in my head, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly and exalted, the horse and rider He has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and song and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; my father’s God, and I will extol Him.” Exodus 15:1-2. How wonderful God is to give us a glimpse of His glory in the telling of His story! He threw the horse and rider in the sea and in the end, all our enemies will be thrown into the lake of fire! Truly He is our strength and song, He is our salvation and we will praise Him!
Hope is restored, joy is bubbling up for the end is near and yet, until then, may the song of Moses resound in me.
Thank you so much SHE’S! Knowing the soon and coming, King of kings, Lord of lords will come and we who believe will be caught up with Him! oh glorious is our Lord and Savior! the joy of the hope of the resurrection that will be fulfilled, stirs my heart to sing a song of praise!
Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!
Amen Norma! (heart)
Glory to God – always!!!
Amen! This reading has been refreshing to know Jesus is coming one day. While we wait we continue to do our part in sharing Christ. God desires to see as many saints as possible before the beast is unleashed. It’s all about kingdom building while here on earth.
Song came to mind:
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless king
through all eternity.
2 Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o’er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save;
his glories now we sing
who died and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.
3 Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
rich wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified;
no angels in the sky
can fully bear that sight,
but downward bends their burning eye
at mysteries so bright.
4 Crown him the Lord of years,
the potentate of time,
creator of the rolling spheres,
ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me;
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.
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Praying for your requests and for grieving hearts
Love this song! Sat for a bit and sang it quietly to myself!
Same.
That one has been in my head for a while now!❤️
Great song! ❤
Oh Kelly, thank you for reminding me of this hymn from long ago.. Beautiful.❤
Revelation 19:11-16 =breathtaking!
When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!
For sure… ❤
Amen!!!!
Revelations 19:13 …. and His name is called The Word of God.
Read, believe and cling to Jesus. For all the questions I have about chapter 20, I don’t need the answers as long as I have Jesus.
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Songs coming to mind,
Agnus Dei
He’s All I Need
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Church sign:
In this season of Thanksgiving, may we focus less on what we lack and focus more on all we have.
Amen and Amen!
Amen! Thank you for sharing the church sign with us.
This is the 2nd time Agnes Dei has been listed for me! 1st time at my Granddaughter’s college Combined choirs sang this song. Beautiful!
Amen to all! I just listened to Agnus Dei last week and a few weeks ago. Such reverence! ❤
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Amen ✝️
Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
.
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For a seventeen year old me, having tried to end what I believed was a rotten life, then having a baby with no experience of motherhood or help, yet filled with hope that I had been given a second chance to feel, know and receive love, I skipped (clumsily) through the difficulties that arose. It was not just me anymore, I had been entrusted with another more fragile than myself, for whom I would have given my life if it had come to it to see her safe, happy, fed, watered and for sure loved.
Together, I think we achieved that.. until the day we stopped achieving..
The day our world stopped… the saddest day of my life..
A broken hearted mother who did not know how she was going to do life without her girl, her ally, her bestie!
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I have lived in that day, every day for 21years.. oh, I have put one foot in front of the other, trusting and knowing that God, the giver of such a gift, has her in His keeping, and I have thanked Him daily for the blessing that was her in my life!
I have always lived in the hope that one day we will be together again..
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Today’s study had me weeping as I had the most wonderful..
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BUT GOD.. MOMENT..
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I have treasured the gift of God showing me where Julee was, and my heart was happy with that, but today reading of Gods rejoicing and celebrating I feel a shift..
I had never thought of my Julees home calling as a celebration for God to receive His own home, just that she was home..
.
BUT GOD..
Today in SARAH FREYMUTHS God given words, I feel a skip and a jump in my heart, that though I have known and believed It is well, it is indeed ‘weller’.
This is indeed a happy day, and as one who has placed her Hope in Jesus, I, through my hopefilled tears say
Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
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I sit here looking at a photograph of Julee on the window sill and I am filled with even more Hope for us, when my time comes.
What a party. What a joy. What a love I will have lived and received..
Thank you , Father God. Thank you.
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Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
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Glory to God.
.
Amen..
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Happy Wednesday my dears.. Praying you are as joyfilled as I today, whatever your day looks like.. Be Blessed..
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Giving Him ALL the Glory.❤️
Sciatica easing slow, BUT GOD, is here with me.. as are you all through your prayers.. THANK YOU.. VERY MUCH..
I LOVE YOU, MUCHLY..❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Beautifully said Tina…May your thoughts bring comfort to us all today ❤️
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Beautiful, sister! I have many loved ones who are celebrating with Julee right now and tears flow from missing them so much. But you are right, it is not only well, but weller for sure.
Thankful there is some easing of the sciatic pain.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ x a bunch!
Dear Tina, thank you for you sharing your thoughts. What an amazing realization God gifted you today and to us! Much love to you sister❣️
I’m happy you are getting some pain relief, be well❤️
I tell my friends that grief is like an old friend to me. It chooses when to come & go sometimes welcomed as I enter a new season of life and other times unsolicited. I know your Julee and my Dad are up in Heaven praising and celebrating our beloved Jesus!
Thinking of you today Tina, and all who have lost a child or a loved one. Praise God for the hope we have in Him, and the hope that we will see our loved ones again, who knew Jesus. God is good, all the time; all the time God is good.
Happy to hear you are healing! continued prayers!
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What a beautiful insight and comfort you have received today, Tina. Thank you for sharing. ❤️❤️❤️
Bless you wendy.❤❤
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Praying for all who are grieving a lost loved one. We have treasure stored up in heaven! They have been restored and healed! Living their best eternal life!
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Oh yes….dear sweet Tina!! What day of rejoicing that will be! We get to see JESUS face-to-face followed by our loved ones! Oh our precious loved ones!! I can’t wait to meet you and Julee someday!! Love you my sweet friend!
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Tina, I have been a bit on the irritable side. I know it is the time of year that is affecting me. But I do have hope. Hope that Julee and Tanner are dancing in Heaven waiting for God to make HIS Home with us all. Love to you Tina.
(Double hearts!!)
Love to you too, Traci.. Holding you close in prayer for the irritation to go and for joy of knowing to fill your heart..❤❤❤
Hallelujah and Amen, Ladies!! This is such an uplifting scene after so much tough judgement. What overcomes me this morning is what a great way to prepare for Advent – by focusing on the glorious end of the story. Especially as we read the Isaiah passages- “It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is the Lord, we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” Couldn’t we quote this truth gazing at the baby Jesus in the manger!
Thank You, Father that one day “every tear we have shed, every pain that has rung our heart, every bit of grief at the loss of loved ones – all will be healed and restored in Jesus”! In the meantime, continue to remind us to share your love with others and that we are never alone while we wait!
Amen.
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Amen!! Yes, I love how you equated Advent, the birth of Jesus with that passage! May that be our focus this season!