Maranatha - Come, Lord Jesus.

Lately, through many different avenues, the Lord has been teaching me about the hope of the Eternal that is in Him.  The overflowing, eternal life that Jesus gives begins NOW, not when I die.  The kingdom of heaven is here AND is coming... Jim could give a much more in-depth dissertation on this :)   

My girls' Bible study has looked at this in depth and I've seem to come across the "new heavens and the new earth" again and again in the past 6 months or so.  It is so beautiful and comforting to know that there is more.  That all the beautiful, wonderful things here on earth are but shadows of the True substance to come.      

My heart is still troubled, though.  Bloodshed is still a fact.  Children are still killing and are still dying.  War is still raging.  

For some reason, God chose Israel as His people.  I believe that this is the Church, including me.  Ultimately, believers are Israel, grafted in by God's grace (Gal. 3.28) ... but what ABOUT all this nonsense in the Gaza strip?     

It is right and good to look forward to the hope that we have - but not to neglect the present.  Today was given for some reason.  Today should be a striving for compassion and plodding for peace.  Not only for the Middle East, but for Africa, Asia, South America... and for brothers or spouses or families that cannot find peace. 

But, it remains:  One sweet day Jesus will bring restoration.  He will bring shalom and all things will be new and right and good and full.  So I suppose with all my questions and heartache I can still cry out and pray, "Maranatha!!  Come, Lord Jesus!"