November 18, 2023

Passage Read: Revelation 21-22
Meditation Verses: 22:11-12

Thought

God lets everyone choose their path, but He decides the result. He is coming with His reward. For those who are vile, for those who do wrong, there will be suffering and torment for eternity. If that's the path someone chooses, this also is the destination. But if someone is holy, if someone does right, Jesus has a reward for them too, and it will be to share in this new creation. We can continue on the path we have chosen, and reach the destination to which it leads, or we can take warning and change paths as we see fit. If righteousness and holiness are too burdensome and unpleasant, we can change to vileness and wrong. But if eternal torment is something we'd rather avoid, we can turn to righteousness and holiness. Jesus is willing to forgive, but the choice is ours.

Application

I want to share in the new Jerusalem, so I choose righteousness and holiness. It is not for me to define what is righteous and holy, the Judge of all creation defines righteousness and holiness. I need to look to Him and His Word to know what He considers righteous and holy, and trust that Word and do what it says. If I insist on defining what is good and right, then I have chosen the path of vileness and wrong. God is the judge of all the living and of all we do, and He sets the standard of righteousness and holiness. I either humble myself before Him or I opt out of His new creation. I don't want to miss out, so I must humble myself before Him and His Word.