Remodeling
There are a number of programs on TV or YouTube that provide instructions on how to remodel your home. The point is that you can improve your home without building a new home.
The reading of Revelation makes me think about how God has taken ancient Jerusalem and remodeled it and made it beautiful and glorious. This new Jerusalem will give us an idea of the wonder and beauty of heaven. This is a place where we all want to be. But how do we get there?
The church in the first century was experiencing problems. There were people who thought you should become a Jew before you could become a Christian. Paul argues that the ancient Jewish law never granted forgiveness so that we would never be redeemed, which is what we needed to get to heaven. If you broke a law, you were always condemned, not forgiven. Fortunately, Paul was able to teach that we need forgiveness. And forgiveness comes from Jesus. The Father and Jesus are one. When we seek forgiveness and grow in love with the Father and His Son, we become one in them. We can remain in their love, and they remain in us.
In our Church today we experience and suffer from many people who create divisions. These divisions can be political, caused by prejudice, anger, hatred, or racism. Like the first century church, we need to come together and seek the Holy Spirit for guidance. We need to trust Jesus. Do not let worldly leaders be your guide. Give faith to God and trust in His Son, Jesus. Then we will also become part of the new heavenly Jerusalem.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen