Longing for Another City

There is a longing in our hearts as we journey through this life for so much more than the trinkets of this earth.  Our hearts ache for the treasure of heaven and it is that subject that should be much more of a focus in our lives.  We should be marked by longing for more.

I have been preaching verse by verse through Revelation now for 18 months and as we near the finish line we came today to look at the exterior of the heavenly Jerusalem.  In light of all we saw today in Revelation 21:9-21, I concluded my talk today by reminding everyone that we are to live here longing for our future home. 

There is a model for us in this longing and the book of Hebrews displays it for us... 

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 

The first part of these verses speak of a temporary city, but he was actually longing for so much more.  He was looking for a city that was not of this world.

Hebrews 11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 

Hebrews 13:14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

The obvious question for every Christ-follower is whether we live with this kind of longing for the heavenly city.  The Old Testament saints sure lived this way and it greatly shaped how they lived and dealt with life here on the earth.

These saints did not live with their heads in the clouds in such a way that they had no impact in this life, rather it was just the opposite.  This longing for the future city is what got them through the yuk that this life can be at times.  

So, how about it, will we begin this longing now for our future home?

Just maybe this longing could be the difference in how we live effectively for the glory of His name.