Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Make Everything Beautiful (4/9/26)

After all the Spring rain this past week, our neighborhood’s grass transformed into a lush green. As Edmund, Alexis and I ran last night, I couldn’t help but comment on the sudden change and the beautiful scenery. The bright blue sky, with traces of white clouds, met the waves of green grass sprinkled with blooming yellow daffodils.

We marveled at God’s beauty, achieved with just a few colors. I can’t fathom the beauty as He decorates the new Jerusalem using more than all the colors imaginable in different textures of stones and jewels. It won’t be a small area, either. Its length, width, and height of 12,000 stadia, equivalent to 1,400 miles (or 2250 kilometers) is roughly the distance between Detroit, MI and Miami, FL.

Revelation 21:15-21 ¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. ¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

The variety of stones mentioned is stunning. In our world today, jasper can display a wide range of earthy tones, while sapphire, agate, onyx, beryl, and topaz come in almost every color. Agate is a type of quartz, and onyx is known for its high polish. Jasper, sapphire, beryl and topaz can be translucent. Emerald typically appears in shades of green, ruby in shades of red, chrysolite in shades of yellow, turquoise in shades of blue, jacinth in shades of orange, and amethyst in shades of purple. Plus, there will be pure gold streets, huge pearl gates and walls over 200 feet thick!

As we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection on Easter, His triumph over death gives us confidence in eternal life in this beautiful new Jerusalem. He is worthy of making everything beautiful. As we marvel at beautiful new life in nature this Spring, let’s give God the glory and express gratitude for an even more beautiful life to come!

Alice 

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy of All Beauty (1/9/25)

What’s the most spectacular scene you’ve ever seen?

In 2005, I got to go with some Bible study friends to ski in Lake Tahoe. We arrived just after a historic 20 feet of snow had accumulated! Not only was it the best skiing I’ve ever experienced, but the views from the tops of the mountains were spectacular! The sun glistened on the snow for miles on end in all directions!!! I had never seen anything like it and knew it was a once in a lifetime experience! Throughout the week, I couldn’t help but worship God the Creator! I know my words can’t begin to describe it and even pictures don’t do it justice.

I wonder if that’s how John felt as he tried to describe the scene in Heaven that he saw!

Revelation 4:1-6      After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.

Wow, I can’t begin to image how spectacular Heaven will be and how glorious God is!

Is there anyone else’s presence you and I would rather be in?

How does God’s brilliance and power compel you and me to worship Him?

Let’s remember John’s description as we think about and worship the Beautiful and Almighty God this New Year!

Thursday Devotional - Creation's Beauty

With COVID, we had one family vacation cancelled and didn’t plan other family vacations for the summer, other than visiting family. However, we finally planned a long weekend trip to Mackinac Island for this past weekend. I wasn’t sure how it would go, since the twins had just lived with us 2 weeks by then. When they found out we were going to Mackinac Island, though, they couldn’t wait! It gave them something to talk about and look forward to, especially while they missed their former home. They counted down the days!

We got to see lots of God’s beautiful creation – gorgeous water, sunrises, sunsets, lots of horses, flowers, trees, rock formations, bright moon and stars, etc. Mackinac Island is one of my favorite places on earth! It reminds me of the beauty and variety of all God created. No two sunrises or sunsets are the same! The night sky changes daily, too.   

In Bible study this year, we are studying Genesis. Covering most of chapter 1 this week was timely with our trip!

Genesis 1:14-19       And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, ¹⁵ and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. ¹⁷ God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, ¹⁸ to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

The twins (and all of us) enjoyed Mackinac Island! We took daily bike rides and got to point out lots of things God created.

What of God’s creation have you gotten to enjoy and marvel at this week?

Alice