Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matt. 25:34)
A three-YEar-old child played with some blocks. Soon they began to take the shape of a house. She dashed to color a piece of paper, folded it in half, and laid it on top of the bricked-in square to form a roof. She sat back and smiled at her dollies. “Look what I made for you because I love you.” She wanted to shelter them.
For me, that depicts God at the beginning of Genesis. He created a perfect world for us where we could dwell in peace, have all we need, and never know the pain of violence and death. There was no hurt, no disease, no worries; it was the perfect sheltered life. What happened? Human freedom went awry. Eve and Adam ate the apple. Sin crashed the paradise party.
Even though we live in a post-Eden world, paradise is not eradicated. It has just changed addresses. Christ died for our sins and now prepares a place for us in His many mansions in heaven, where the blessed, by their faith and testimony in Jesus as Lord, will dwell for eternity.
In the meantime, God provides us shelter through His Holy Spirit. We have a firm foundation with the bricks of faith, trust, and love built upon it, all roofed by His mercy and grace. Look what He’s made for you!
Choose to remain in Christ and live a sheltered life.
Julie B. Cosgrove is a widowed Christian author and speaker who lives in Fort Worth, Texas. She is involved with women’s and outreach ministries.
