Soon!

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. Revelation 21:4 AMPC

Take a look at the present state of affairs and tell me what you think is good enough to take with you into the next life. From the days after the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, it has been a series of  misfortunes after the other, as the devil has taken hold of the world's system and turned it into his arena. Man has found novel ways to hurt himself and other people, we have made advancement in technology, both to human advantage and detriment. We have found solutions to fatal diseases, yet discovered ways and means of mass murders. Technology has made communication easier, yet it has only emphasised the emotional distance between us as human beings. Check out the effects of poverty, hunger, disease and sin all over the world, and you will understand the context of today's extract.

A day is coming soon when the old order of things will be done away with completely. A day is coming soon when  every reminder of pain, weakness and sin will be permanently removed. A day is coming when the results of sin, which is death, would be swallowed up by the Life that is available only in the One referred to as Life himself. Grief, pain, sorrow, mourning and anguish would have been stripped of their power to hurt, and life will be the only option.

There is a catch: the plan is for everyone, but the reality of the experience is for those who 'win the victory', who remain steadfast to the end, who hold on to God even in their sufferings. Remember, it is not only about starting well; it is very important that I hold on to the very end. The end is where the reward is. Just as it is in God's usual manner to warn ahead of time, he also indicates those who will not get the reward: 'cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers, the immoral, those who practise magic, those who worship idols, and all liars'.

On which side of the eternal divide are you on presently? Does God know you as his own? Can you truly say that in you, the old has given way to the new in preparation for the amazing and permanent blessings the new life has in store? Your answers will reverberate all through eternity, so you have to make sure. His time of favour is here.