Christ’s Long-Awaited Day - Paradise Part 2
“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.”
—Isaiah 53:11
Welcome, 🙂
This devotional is dear to my heart…
In my previous devotional, Paradise —Indescribible, we considered what Scripture reveals about the glorious future awaiting those who belong to Christ.
When we think about Paradise—the Father’s house, where we will be with Christ and behold His glory—we naturally picture what awaits us: perfect peace, no more tears, and seeing Jesus face to face. But have you ever considered what that day means to Jesus?
Scripture gives us a glimpse into the Savior’s own joy. The One who gave Himself for His people will have His redeemed with Him forever. The Bridegroom will receive His bride. The Lamb will see the fruit of His suffering and be satisfied.
Every wedding has a cost, some much more than others, but no bridegroom has ever paid the price Jesus did to redeem His bride.
“Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,…that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”
—Ephesians 5:25, 27
Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for her. We were not redeemed with silver or gold, but “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18–19). He bore our iniquities and gave His life to redeem us to God.
In John 14, on the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you.” He was going to the cross, where through His death and resurrection He would open the way for sinners to be reconciled to God. Without His sacrifice, we would have no place in Paradise with Him.
Then, in John 17, we are given a precious glimpse into the heart of our Savior as He prays to His Father:
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me.”
—John 17:24
There is something so precious in those words: “I desire that they also…may be with Me where I am.”
We often speak of how much we long to see Jesus. We look forward to the day when faith becomes sight. But here we glimpse the heart of our Savior—He desires His own to be with Him.
And what had He already promised?
“I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
—John 14:3
In Revelation 19, we see the bride arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. What a celebration that will be! The Bridegroom has His bride—the Church, all those who belong to Christ—presented in the beauty of His redeeming work.
The One who loved her gave Himself for her.
The One who redeemed her with His precious blood has brought her home.
The One who prayed, “I desire that they also…may be with Me where I am,” now has His redeemed with Him forever.
Yes, we receive eternal life, a new home, and glorified bodies, free from sin, sorrow, suffering, and death. But consider another wonder: the Lamb receives those He died to redeem.
The Savior sees the fruit of His suffering.
The Bridegroom receives His bride.
The Shepherd has His sheep safely home.
The prayer of Jesus is fulfilled.
“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.”
Hebrews tells us that Jesus, “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2). He endured the cross, bore our sin, and paid the price of our redemption. One day, all His redeemed will be gathered to Him.
“And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
—1 Thessalonians 4:17–18
Today, let your heart rest not only in the hope of heaven, but in the joy of knowing that your Savior desires His people to be with Him. The One who gave Himself for us is coming again to receive His own to Himself.
A Quiet Prayer
Lord Jesus, how precious to know that You desire Your own to be with You. Thank You for loving me, giving Yourself for me, and promising to come again. Keep my heart longing for the day when I will see You face to face and be with You forever.
Amen
