The Golden City by Max Lucado, 1999.

Verse 1:

Soon your trials will be over. Offered up by mercy’s hand.
A better view than where you’re standing, a doorway to another land.
The sweetest welcome from the Father. Gathered up and carried home,
We are past this time of waiting, come let us bow before Your throne.

Observe: Life is short. Whether or not we want to acknowledge this fact does not change this basic truth; we are mortal. One view of life, characterized by the 17^th century English philosopher Thomas Hobbs in his book “Leviathan,” acknowledged that life is “nasty, brutish, and short.”

But a “better view from where (we’re presently) standing” is the one offered in our Song for Today. It’s the view of another land. When the first-century Christians in Rome faced persecution, the writer of Hebrews encouraged them to, recall that after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, … and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (Hebrews 10:32–34, ESV).

The reality of life in this world is filled with struggle. Job said, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. (Job 5:7). The wise writer of Ecclesiastes, who acknowledged the “vanity” of life in this world, said, For all (our) days are full of sorrow, and work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. (Ecclesiastes 2:23). Our only comfort is the view through the “doorway to another land,” to the promised Kingdom of God. David writes This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. (Psalm 119:50).

The promise that gives life is the promise of the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:10b).

Chorus:

We will meet in the Golden City in the New Jerusalem
All our pain and all our tears will be no more.
We will stand with the hosts of heaven, and cry holy is the Lamb
We will worship and adore You evermore.

Verse 2:
Never can the powers of darkness. Neither death nor even life.
Let nothing ever separate us from the holy love of God.

Verse 2 strengthens our faith in the way Paul does when he writes, For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39).

We gain the strength we need by reminding ourselves of this certain fact. Yes, life can, and often is, “nasty, brutish, and short,” but for those who hope is built on Jesus blood and his righteousness, we can Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4).

As your steadfastness is being tested, remember it is for your continued growth. So quietly endure and wait for the time when we’ll be “complete and lacking in nothing” when,

We will meet in the Golden City in the New Jerusalem
All our pain and all our tears will be no more
We will stand with the hosts of heaven
And cry holy is the Lamb
We will worship and adore You evermore.

Blessings, Pastor Don