On this Sabbath, I'm thinking of all of you - our friends here on Maranathamedia - scattered all over the world. It would be so nice if we could meet in person to worship together on Sabbaths.
I came across this quote, originally from a Manuscript 33, 1911 (the whole manuscript does not appear to be available on the EG White Writings website - there are just a number of quotes from it in various books). It is in Maranatha p.351 or 7BC p.988. It refers to two Bible texts:
Revelation 21:1: And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Isaiah 33:21: But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby.
Here is the quote:
The sea divides friends. It is a barrier between us and those whom we love. Our associations are broken up by the broad, fathomless ocean. In the new earth there will be no more sea, and there shall pass there “no galley with oars.” ...Thank God, in the earth made new there will be no fierce torrents, no engulfing ocean, no restless, murmuring waves (Manuscript 33, 1911). {7BC 988.1}
There will be a glorious day in the future, when the distances between us will be all ended - no more 14-24hour flights across the oceans, no more long car trips - but we will all gather together around the throne of our Father and His Son, and drink of the life-giving "broad rivers and streams" and eat from the Tree of Life. On that day, there will be "no more sea" and plenty of other "no more's": no more pain, no more sickness, no more disabilities, no more tears, no more tiredness, no more stress, no more violence, no more anger, no more fear, no more worry, no more anxiety, no more trials, no more worthlessness.... and wonder of wonders - no more temptations, no more enemy, no more failures, no more SIN, because there will be no more Satan.
What a wonderful day - I plan to meet you all there. Hopefully not long now!
As kids say on a long travel: "Are we there yet?" Not yet, but soon. As was said to Pilgrim in "Pilgrim's Progress": "Sooner than you think, but longer than you wish!"
Wishing you all a blessed Sabbath!
love
Lorelle
