A Wedding and a Funeral

This morning I was in church for a wedding rehearsal. Two of my church friends are getting married next month and I'm playing in the band. And this evening I attended the funeral wake of a granduncle.

Although they were not read out at either the wedding rehearsal or the funeral wake, the following verses came to my mind:

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

"I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

""He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)

Marriage

Apart from believing and being baptised, marriage is one of the most (if not the most) glorious moments in life (I imagine). It is a profound mystery, a picture of Christ and the church. Even so, it is a mere shadow of the reality it points towards - our union with Christ forever and ever.

Finish then, Thy new creation
Pure and spotless let us be
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee

Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven* we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before Thee
Lost in wonder, love and praise

*the new heaven and the new earth

Death

On the other hand, death is the wages of sin, the ultimate affront to life. Even so, it is a defeated foe which awaits its own destruction - the death of death itself.

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death." - Revelation 20:14 (NIV)

So marriage is good, but the new creation is even better. Death is bad, but the new creation conquers it.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going... I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:1-4, 6 (NIV)

God knows if you will marry, who you will marry and when you will marry. He knows when you will die and how you will die. As the pastor preaching at the funeral wake said, "God is sovereign. He knows best."

He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you...

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don't understand
When you don't see His plan
When you can't trace His hand
Trust His heart

"He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!"" - Revelation 21:5a (NIV)

Are you single? God is making everything new. Are you married? God is making everything new. Are you in the prime of life? God is making everything new. Are you facing death? God is making everything new.

"I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!" - Lesslie Newbigin, Bishop of Madras (1965-74)

Link: God is making everything new (25 Dec 10)