“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.”(Rev. 22:1–4 NIV11)
The pain in the world obscures God’s vision for the world.
1. Eden Restored
- Gen 2 - tree’s fruit abused
- Rev 22.1-4 - a tree for healing.
- ‘Healing’ is God’s desire.
- This starts at a personal level before the world can be changed.
- A personal relationship with God is needed for such healing.
- It takes humility and courage to admit that we need healing personally.
2. Live in Unity
“A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” (Psa. 133:0–3 NIV11)
Such unity is hard work, but worth it.
3. A beacon of hope to the world.
“Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the LORD heard this.¶ (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) ¶ At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them went out. Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them stepped forward, h he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” ¶ The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. ¶ When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous —it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.”” (Num. 12:1–12 NIV11)
God heals the relationship, not just the disease.
How are we cultivating unity in our ‘world’?
4. Bear and Forgive
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”(Col. 3:12–14 NIV11)
Ongoing attitude of overlooking mistakes and grievances
What would the world look like if we lived this?
Cannot live in freedom and joy if insist on every wrong being righted in this life.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”(1 Pet. 2:9 NIV11)
Our identity is in Christ. Therefore we need have no worries about finding values.
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God bless,
Malcolm
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