A pilgrim in search of a city am I,
Whose Builder and Maker is God,
A city built on a foundation sure,
Ordained by the wisdom of God.
A city where dwell the noble and true –
Those souls dearly loved by God,
For not with treasure, their entrance purchased,
‘Twas the precious blood of the Lamb of God!
A city where there is no need of the sun,
Where tears are wiped away,
Where nothing that defiles enters in,
A city ruled by the Lion of God!
A city where dwells the Redeemer,
Pure and spotless are those are that are his own –
But He bears the marks of hard human hearts,
The terrible price He paid for them long ago.
‘Tis the city Abraham longed for,
While he wondered the Promised Land,
Knowing he was a pilgrim, searching,
For a city unseen yet wondrously grand.
Likewise, I’m also passing thru earthly cities,
Surrounded by constant fare,
They seem to say they’ll last forever, but nay,
They’re not where my soul can rest its care.
This earthly city around me now,
‘Twas built with human hands,
It’s deeds are wrought by human hearts,
Oh, it’s built on sinking sands!
I’m only here but for a moment,
May the draw of earthling affairs grow dim,
All the passing wares this world offers,
Appear in verity as shallow or grim.
I’m looking for a heavenly city,
Built by God’s own hand,
It’s deeds were written on Calvary,
It’s built on Emmanuel’s land.
Enduring, that heavenly city will continue,
Unlike those made by human hands,
For ’tis the dwelling place of God himself,
In that shining, bright, beautiful land!
Oh search, dear brother, for this city,
Where you can know your God,
There you can rest your innermost soul,
No more parched and wandering aimlessly abroad!
*****
Jesus came once into this world 2000 years ago. He lived a perfect life and died the perfect death in our place so that we could experience perfection in Christ Jesus (2nd Cor. 5:21). But that is not all. Jesus is coming again! The problems and issues of this world will one day be gone forever. There will be a new heaven and a new earth. God himself is going to dwell among us – that’s an amazing thought, don’t you think?
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
Rev. 21:3-4
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Amen!
* Image edited from original by David Yu. Released under CC License.
