In Hebrews 11:16 we are told that the people of faith “were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” 

Please consider this verse. The people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11 served God under duress and trying circumstances. 

But God knew how to encourage them, and He knows how to encourage us. He has given His promise of a future home! Every follower of Jesus has the same future awaiting us – eternity with Jesus, in the perfect city that He has prepared for us. Please note the tense – the city is already prepared.

God is not needing to do any last minute building of this city. Everything is set for Jesus’ followers to arrive there. No earthly city will ever be perfect, but God’s heavenly city that He has prepared for us is perfect. Nothing on earth can provide the fulfillment and satisfaction we long for, only God’s heavenly city can do that for us. 

These are some of the truths the Bible provides regarding our future home: “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,The holy dwelling places of the Most High.God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved;God will help her when morning dawns.” Psalm 46:4-5 

These verses tell us that our future home is the dwelling place of the Most High God! Our perfect, loving Redeemer will be with us, in person, all the time! Unlike this heaven and earth, our future home will never end. 

Hebrews 11:10 tells us that our future home’s “architect and builder is God”. We couldn’t find anyone who could come close to His skills as an architect and builder!

Revelation 21:2 describes what John saw regarding our future home: “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.”Consider the excitement and anticipation of a groom as he watches his bride enter the room to meet him. She is “adorned” – dressed and prepared for him. This is such a beautiful picture of what the Lord is doing in the lives of His followers. No wonder the people identified in Hebrews were encouraged by their future home!! This truth should help us through the trials of this life, as it did for the people of Hebrews 11.  

Revelation 22:5 adds more details about our future home: “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”

Revelation 21:14 provides this information: “And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Who will get to live in this future home? Only those people who have Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  

We are reminded by the Apostle John, in John 14:1-3 of this truth: “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” 

The promise Jesus makes in these verses should strengthen our faith, and encourage us, when the things of this temporal home are upside down.  We should desire our future home because it is the dwelling place of God. We should desire our future home because God has prepared it for us. 

But God doesn’t want us to lose sight of the work He has called us to while we are in this temporal home. We are called to share the Good News of Jesus, and His amazing work of redemption, to our family and friends who are still locked up in their sin. Christ’s followers are set free from the bondage of our sin, and that should motivate us to want to help others know Jesus, and have the hope of our future home. 

Hebrews 11:16 also tells us that “God is not ashamed to be called our God”. He is proud to be our God. Even while we, as His followers, still sin, He loves us unconditionally. What more could we ask for? How does pondering the truths about our future home that God has prepared for those who are His followers encourage you? 

If you are not yet His followers, why not make the decision right now to confess your need for Jesus’ atonement for your sins? You can follow that profession up with a true commitment to pursue God, and offer yourself as a living sacrifice for His glory and purposes. 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2  

Can I help you find Jesus as your Lord and Savior?  Do you need some encouragement? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com 

Living for Jesus, Donna P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others! 

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Copyright 2023 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.