In our resurrected, now immortal bodies we gazed at the world we once called home. It was old, spent and destroyed.
The heavens weren't spared either. The destruction was complete.
Then, our Lord spoke. Before our very eyes, a new heaven and a sparkling new earth were created. This time, the earth had no oceans. Instead, it's surface shone brilliantly like glass, reflecting the light from The Lamb's glory. It was breathtaking.
As our feet touched on this beautiful new earth, a sense of joyful nostalgia washed over me. All I loved about our earth, the beauty of nature was amplified a thousand fold. There was peace, even among the wild life. Adorable little lambs prancing in the grass played with wolves?!?
"Look out!" I ran towards the innocent lambs to protect them, and heard a burst of laughter.
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The three musketeers were reunited. Four, actually. Jayden always fancied himself to be D'Artagnan. Speaking of whom, swooped me in his arms instantly (teleporting or superspeed or whatever that is)
"Hey! I'm no damsel in distress!" I squirmed.
"Ok," he flipped me from bridal style, to lift me high above his head like a set of weights.
I stomped his head.
"Hey!" He dropped me, startled.
"Look," Liam pointed to the sky.
I narrowed my eyes and saw descending from the clouds a glorious city made entirely of gemstones. It was shaped like a cube, with twelve foundations of pure, solid, precious stones and three gates carved out of a perfect pearl on each side. Each foundation had the name of one of Jesus' apostles.
Snap! Jayden pushed my jaw up. "You're drooling."
"Am not!"
Ethan and Leo rolled their eyes.
"Ava!" A comforting deep voice called out to me.
"Dad?" My eyes stung with tears as I saw my late father walk up to me. Well, a very robust version of my dad in his prime.
The last time I saw him, he was frail and painfully withered on his death bed, as I held his bony hand for the last time.
"Is it really you, Daddy?" Tears overflowing, we hugged.
"Time to go home," an angel led us through the pearly gates of the dazzling city. There was no sun or moon. The light came from the glory of God and the Lamb.
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The ground was transparent, shiny and golden. Then it hit me. "We're walking on pure gold," I whispered.
"Papa!" Three kids ran towards Ethan, with a demure, beautiful woman in tow.
Ethan's eyes glistened as he stared at the woman, his wife from their time together on earth. "Honey?"
His back hit the ground as the three kids jumped on him, giggling as he tickled them.
Death lost its sting as loved ones were reunited.
*******
Notes
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
