A most important book - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 4:3,

"Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life."

There exists a book that is of greatest importance for those of us on planet earth. The book of life contains the names of all those who will enter in to the resurrection of life. Not all will.

Those whose names are not in that book have a different fate, "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15.

Those who have their names written in the book of life look ahead to something entirely different, "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, 'Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell 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.

Too much cannot be said about the outlook for those of us who have our names written in that book. We are told there will be great joy in heaven as we arrive in God's presence. We will be "without fault" as our faults have been paid for by Jesus Christ, Jude 24. In fact, Paul tells us God has decided that we would be "holy and blameless in his sight" in spite of anything we may have said or done in this life. Ephesians 1:4. There Paul goes on to say that God determined ahead of time that we would be adopted by him, such that we would enjoy a place in God's own family, a place at his table! Ephesians 1:5. As God's adopted sons and daughters we are co-heirs together with Jesus Christ to share in all that is his, "Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..." Romans 8:17a.

Can you think of any more important book to have your name in? Here is the way to get into that book: "If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

 Trevor Fisk

trevor.fisk@gmail.com