10. AND IN THE END... GOD

Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations. Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center. His servants will offer God service—worshiping, they'll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God. Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs. And they will rule with him age after age after age...

"Come!" say the Spirit and the Bride.
Whoever hears, echo, "Come!"
Is anyone thirsty? Come!
All who will, come and drink,
Drink freely of the Water of Life!

He who testifies to all these things says it again: "I'm on my way! I'll be there soon!"

Yes! Come, Master Jesus!

The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!

*****

* In the world to come, I shall not be asked, "Why were you not Moses?" I shall be asked, "Why were you not Zusya?" (Rabbi Zusya)

* 'There is only one path to Heaven. On Earth, we call it Love.'

* For the Christian, heaven is where Jesus is. We do not need to speculate on what heaven will be like. It is enough to know that we will be for ever with Him.
(William Barclay)

* Union with God is the only heaven there is, and it begins here on earth.
(Macrina Wiederkehr - A Tree Full of Angels)

* Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)

* Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven. (Henry Ward Beecher)

* God’s in his heaven: All’s right with the world. (Robert Browning)

* Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal. (Thomas Moore - Come Ye Disconsolate)

*Those who never rebelled against God or at some point in their lives shaken their fists in the face of heaven, have never encountered God at all. (Catherine Marshall - Christy)

* A teardrop on earth summons the King of heaven. (Charles R. Swindoll)

* Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.
(St. Jerome) Lower your expectations of earth. This isn’t heaven, so don’t expect it to be. (Max Lucado)

* Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind. (C.S. Lewis) All this, and Heaven too!
(Philip Henry)

* ...the traffic of Jacob’s ladder
Pitched between Heaven and Charing Cross. (Francis Thompson)

* If I cannot smoke cigars in Heaven, I shall not go. (Mark Twain). If there is no laughter in heaven, I'm not going there (Martin Luther).

*

*****

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous;
teach me to serve You as You deserve,
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to seek reward,
except that of knowing that I do Your will.

*****

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.

*****

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
when other helpers fail and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, O abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour;
what but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's dark sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

*****

Lighten our darkness, Lord,
and by your great mercy defend me from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen



Notes: Excerpts Revelation 22; 'Lord Jesus teach me to be generous' is the famous prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Music for God be in my head (Sarum Primer) is here, and Abide with me here.