Enduring Hope

Hello, my name is Xochitl Dixon.

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread, Enduring Hope. Doctors diagnosed four-year-old Solomon with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle-degenerating disease. A year later, doctors discussed wheelchairs with the family. But Solomon protested that he didn't want to have to use one. Family and friends prayed for him and raised funds for a professionally trained service dog to help keep him out of that wheelchair for as long as possible. Tales for Life, the organization that trained my service dog, Callie, is currently preparing waffles to serve Solomon. Though Solomon accepts his treatment, often bursting out in song to praise God, some days are harder. On one of those difficult days, Solomon hugged his mom and said, I'm happy there's no Duchennes in heaven.

The degenerating effects of sickness affect all people on this side of eternity. Like Solomon, however, we have an enduring hope that can strengthen our resolve on those inevitable tough days. God gives us the promise of a new heaven and a new earth in Revelation 21. Our Creator and Sustainer will dwell among us by making His home with us.

He will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. When the wait feels too hard or too long, we can experience peace because God's promise will be fulfilled.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Revelation 21, verses 1-8. 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. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband. 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.

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. 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.

He said to me, it is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end to the thirsty. I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters, and all liars, they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

This is the second death. Let's pray. Loving God, thank you for strengthening our resolve with the surety of our enduring hope. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.