He will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:17
I have always enjoyed maps. Some of my earliest memories include picking up a multi-fold map from a visitor’s center in whatever state our family was travelling. I would lay out the map on a table or bed and pour over the cities, lakes, highways and landmarks. Many times we would use a highlighter to mark our route or circle a location that we wanted to see.
It’s hard to believe that 35 years later we simply tell “Siri” where we want to go and the map magically appears on our screen. The purpose is the same but the experience is not! Somehow there was great joy in the searching and the “aha” moments on that large paper map.
The same experience is true for me in reading the Scriptures. I love my “YouVersion” app and use it regularly, but there is something powerful about opening the pages of the Bible to discover God’s road map for our lives. No matter how many times we read it, there are new insights and dreams and examples of God’s incredible love for us.
The Scripture at the top of the page is a part of our St. Luke’s Columbarium, a place for the ashes of people in our family of faith who are now in the Kingdom of Heaven. You can visit it just to the east of the Downtown Sanctuary. Every time I visit there, I am reminded of the special people whose names are written on each plaque. Surely their travels on this earth are over but their eternal journey has only just begun.
I often wonder, where will God lead us now, into the future, and in our eternal lives. I’m grateful that God’s love for us in this Christmas season is just a glimpse into the future when God will show us the majesty and wonder of His plans for us! My prayer for you today is that you will once again open the Bible – the road map that God has provided for you.
As Max Lucado famously wrote, “don’t make the trip and miss the journey!” God has wonderful plans to draw you closer into His presence.
Rev. Phil Greenwald, Executive Pastor of Administration
