Isaiah 35:10 NLT
'Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.'
“It is always helpful to start with the end in view.” As a disciple I have come to appreciate the richness of that phrase the more I’ve progressed along my Christian way. I am quick to become distracted and then captivated by things in hand, both the good and the bad. As such, I quickly lose perspective. That is, I no longer have the end in view. My horizons shrink to the reality of the present moment. For all disciples, the end in view is heaven.
Heaven is not some ethereal plane of existence. It is a reality in which I am fully aware of God in all his great glory, and have a part to play in continuing to love and serve him. The good news is that those distractions and demands that accompanied me on my earthly pilgrimage are no longer a part of my eternal existence. One other factor to bear in mind is that this earth as we experience it is impermanent. It will not disappear as a consequence of climate change or humanity’s lack of appreciation for its diverse riches, but when God closes time with the return of Christ.
Life has a habit of absorbing us in the immediacy of our circumstances. Practical or imagined, our anxiety levels can rise and our spiritual balance loses all sense of direction. We look in upon ourselves and fail to pause, before reminding ourselves of the end in view.
Prayer and intercession are hugely helpful in redirecting our perspective back towards the end view and refocusing our perspective on godly values and priorities.
QUESTION: Are you ready and expectant for Christ’s return?
PRAYER: I turn to you in prayer, eternal Father. May my priorities and perspectives be changed by the work of your Spirit as I spend time in your presence, worshiping and praising your holy name.

Released on 6 Mar 2020