Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:1-5)

As we celebrate the coming of Christ on Christmas day, we remember all that He accomplished in His first coming. His death and resurrection have provided the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life. We even get a taste of this new life now through His Spirit who lives in us. In fact, it’s the Spirit who reveals these things to us:

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

The blessings that flow from Christ’s first coming are glorious beyond description. And yet, there’s more to the story.

Jesus is coming back, and when He does, He will not be a child in a cradle. He will be a King on a horse. The trumpet will sound and Christ will return to right all wrongs, to bring judgment on His enemies, to put an end to injustice. But for those of us who are relying on Him as our Savior and Lord, His return will mean the consummation of our redemption.

Christ will usher in a new heaven and a new earth where, according to today’s passage, we will “see his face.” We will experience unhindered worship, worship that is not affected by sin, and the Lord Himself will be our light. We will reign with Him “forever and ever.” This is the end goal of our salvation. This is why Jesus came. Immanuel, God with us, forever.

Let this Christmas day remind you to hope in that day, to live for that day. It may seem far off. You may even have trouble believing that it will ever come. But like Israel of old, our doubts are unfounded. God will keep His promises. The Messiah will come . . . again.

PRAYING IN LIGHT OF TODAY’S PASSAGE

Pray for Christ’s return, asking Him to put an end to sin and injustice and to use you to bring the message of His redemption to those who have never put their trust in Him.