I sit behind a polished windowpane
Hearing the hum of heated air through vents.
On the other side of the glass
Lie trees in autumn splendor on a hillside.
The gentle breeze takes yellowish foliage
To a carpet of gold and green below.
Wafting in every direction under sunlight,
Drop beautiful leaves.
On goes a gorgeous shower of what was,
Making room for what will be.
The sunbeams on the shimmering trees
And the continual dance of the season proceeds;
As I sit behind glass panes in a building made by man,
Peering out at the artistry of God.
On the wall beside me hangs a framed photograph
Of an autumn scene.
While beautiful the picture is,
It does not compare to the reality just beyond the glass.
What comes directly from God
Cannot be adequately reproduced by man.
Chairs, buildings, heating systems, automobiles,
Framed art, calculators, tennis shoes, cherry pie, basketballs.
All these reflect the mind of our Creator,
Who designed our minds to design these things.
Yet, for all we make,
Nothing compares to what God creates!
Galaxies, mountains, antelopes, apple trees,
Sunshine, emeralds, sharks, bluebirds, waterfalls.
I appreciate the comfortable library in which I sit.
I enjoy looking out its windows when the ice of winter comes.
But my soul longs for the day
When I will not be separated from any of the handiwork of God.
I wait for the day when the city in which I walk
Will not have been manufactured by the hand of people.
Come quickly the day when everything about existence is as beautiful and rich as God intended,
Untainted by the messiness of humanity.
I wait for . . .
“The holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.”
A city that comes from Heaven, right down from the throne of God!
This will be my home!
In that day, nothing will be unsatisfactory
Because nothing will be “once-removed” from God’s perfection.
All will be as He desires,
Which is – in our heart of hearts – what we, in fact, desire.
We will work beside Him then,
For He will finally and fully dwell with us.
The work of men will be the work of God,
For then we shall completely please Him.
All creation will be new – and uncursed –
Never wearing out, never growing old.
We will create and enjoy and explore forever
Because of the grace of precious Jesus . . .
When we finally enter the reality just beyond the glass.
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.” (I Corinthians 13:12, KJV)
“I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” (Revelation 21:2, ESV)