James Banks
Our Daily Bread Ministries
https://odb.org/
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When Believing Is Seeing

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 135-136
• 1 Corinthians 12

The wolf and the lamb will feed together.

Isaiah 65:25

Today's Scripture & Insight :

“I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” My wife, Cari, called me to the window and pointed out an adult doe in the woods just outside our fence, bounding from one end of our yard to the other. Keeping pace beside her inside the fence were our large dogs, but they weren’t barking. Back and forth they went, for nearly an hour. When the doe paused and faced them, the dogs stopped also, straightening their front legs and crouching back on their haunches, ready to run again. This wasn’t predator and prey behavior; the doe and the dogs were playing together, enjoying each other’s company!

To Cari and me, their morning romp provided a picture of the coming kingdom of God. The prophet Isaiah proclaims God’s promise of that kingdom with the words, “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth” (Isaiah 65:17). He goes on to say that “the wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (v. 25). No more predator, no more prey. Just friends.

Isaiah’s words seem to show us that there will be animals in God’s eternal kingdom; they also point to what God is preparing for His creation, especially “for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). What a beautiful place that will be! As we trust in Him by faith, God lifts our eyes to the reality that’s coming: peace and safety in His presence forever!

By:  James Banks

Reflect & Pray

What do you look forward to most about God’s kingdom? Whom can you share your hope with today?

Thank You for everything good that’s coming, loving Father! Please help me look forward to You today.

For further study, read What Is Heaven? What the Bible Says about Eternity.