"Do You See What I See?"

Revelation 21:1-5

Several years ago at Light of the Canyon, a young boy was charged with bringing the mystery bag for time with children to church. This was the precursor to Minnie's Bag that we have now. He brought two stuffed animals – one for when he is sad or angry, and the other for comfort. Miss Minnie asked him what would happen if he lost the stuffed animals. “I would probably cry forever” was his response. The congregation was so touched by his love and devotion, many people said aloud, “we would buy you a new one.” Some of you might have missed his response to that because he said it quietly just to Minnie and the children. “It wouldn’t be the same,” he said. It wouldn’t be the same. Do you want to know something. That is how God feels about us. Human beings are a lost and sinful bunch, but God in His infinite love, instead of casting us to the whims of oblivion, remains faithful. In fact, he is so faithful, that ultimately, he is going to bring heaven to us. "And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." That is an image that should give us hope. Because that is what God has in mind for His people. With that promise in mind, it is important to remember that God has raised up this community. And God has been faithful to LOTC for over 27 years. It is now time for us to place our wild and crazy, sometimes audacious, sometimes fleeting and sometimes faithful, hope in God's hands.