Recently for work I was at a convention in Nashville at a very plush hotel and convention center. This convention center is an atrium set on 9 acres of indoor gardens with waterfalls, over 2,000 rooms with 17 unique eateries that cater to countless tastes. One can actually take a boat ride down a river in the center of the hotel and tour the gardens.
Absolutely beautiful!
There were several conventions taking place at the hotel and many tourists were walking the gardens with cameras flashing. Several times I heard the words “nothing beats this,” “this is as good as it gets.”
I went back to my room with those words bouncing around in my head and I thought “is this really as good as it gets?”
Many people assume that it is. They mistakenly think that their fondest moment, deepest joy, and most profound experience happens sometime between the delivery room and the funeral home. Someone needs to tell them that this is just the beginning! As good as it gets? For Christian this world is actually as bad as it gets!
Believers know all of this is just window dressing and temporary. Nothing on earth compares to the love of God and his promise for tomorrow.
We have the promise of eternal life. Everlasting life in a place perfectly created by God. Better than man could even imagine.
We hold to the hope of a new earth as it was intended to be: completely calm.
“The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf and lion and the fatling together. And a little boy will lead them.” (Isaiah 11:6)
Our spirit will be united with a new body, resulting in a spiritual body. Just as a seed becomes a plant, this fleshly body will become a spiritual body. You will love yours. You’ve never seen yourself at your best. Even on your good days, you have been subject to bacteria, weariness, and wounds. You have never known yourself as God truly intended.
This is God’s promise. He will reclaim His creation. He is a God of restoration, not destruction. He is a God of renewal, redemption, regeneration, resurrection.
Our faith is the root and our assurance is the flower.
Is this as good as it gets? Not at all. Not even close!