Our Forever Future

In today’s devotional, we draw your attention to one of the most motivating passages in all of scripture: Revelation 5:9, that brief but beautiful, awe-inspiring description of our forever future!

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

   and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

   and with your blood you purchased for God

   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

- Revelation 5:9

As you tune in today, you might be anywhere on the spectrum of life between experiencing the highest high you’ve ever known, to being in the worst situation you’ve ever encountered.

Regardless, here’s what awaits you: an eternity – like forever without end – filled with two amazing realities.

First, you, and we, get to spend a tireless, unending, slow-paced eternity with the lover of our souls, God Almighty… basking in His presence, experiencing joy beyond our greatest imagination… feeling a depth of love we’ll never fully know on this earth. Tears – no more! Warm embraces from our Savior, Jesus.

Second, we get to experience all of this not alone, but in deep community with family members. We’ll spend eternity with brothers and sisters that we already know here on earth, with fellow worshippers from The Church at Rancho Bernardo. We’ll do so, perhaps, with ancestors who have gone before us: grannies, uncles, and other blood-family members we’ve known or never even heard of. We’ll live out eternity with the saints and heroes of our faith that, today, we can only read about in the scriptures – Abraham, Esther, Paul, Priscilla, Moses, Deborah, John, Lydia, Joseph, and so many others.

And we will live for all eternity with people from every tribe, language, nation, and people.

It is that promise, hope, and truth that has motivated us for more than 20 years, with our full lives devoted to cross-cultural work. It has been, is, and forever will be, our deep and abiding passion to join the Lord in His ministry to the nations, to the glory of His name.

We are David and Cherie Bulger, mission workers that are ordained and supported by The Church at Rancho Bernardo since 2004.

It has been our blessing and privilege to serve the Lord and represent The Church at RB in our international work! And we so look forward to the day when you will be able to rub shoulders, in God’s presence, with family members you have from around the world, precious people of God whom we know, love and serve.

I, Cherie, can’t wait for the day when you get to meet Nhlanhla, a young man that leads a youth ministry that I established in a squatter camp outside Johannesburg, South Africa. You will rejoice as you learn of his passionate commitment to youth growing up in a community with brokenness at every turn. And you’ll also meet my dear friend Winnie, who is living with HIV and loves Jesus Christ.

I, David, long for the day when you get to meet my good friend Henry, a Zambian pastoral leader born within weeks of my birthdate in very different circumstances. God grabbed Henry early on, forming him with a pastor’s heart, not just for families in his congregation, but also for other pastors in his province that need encouragement, care, and equipping.

And we, together, will have huge smiles on our faces in heaven as we introduce you to Pastor Thomas Maphosa, pastor of Jesus is Lord Christian Centre (JLCC), outside Johannesburg. Pastor Thomas and his congregation pray for you all regularly, and together we will celebrate the countless lives that have been changed through the partnership between The Church at RB and JLCC.

These people – Nhlanhla, Winnie, Henry and Thomas, and others we know and serve around the world – are your family members, your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Most likely, you will not meet any of them while walking this earth. But, but, together with the two of us, you will join them to bring to reality the prophecy of Revelation 5: people from every tribe and language and people and nation, singing a new song of worship to God, together. Together, we will reveal the amazing tapestry of God’s love, sacrifice, creativity, and redemption. We will live forever with our risen Jesus, with the Father, and with the Holy Spirit. As God’s family, we will share an eternity together!

So, today, as you go about what might be an ordinary day at home, work, school, or in the community, do so knowing that you have a future that is secure, that is filled with hope, and that will be beyond anything you have ever dreamed.

You, and we, will be with our great God, forever, with family members from every tribe and language and people and nation. Oh, what days those will be!

David & Cherie Bulger | One Challenge International | Colorado & Global