Reality Check

Fancy winning $1 million as a “Survivor”? Dream on.

Raise your hand if you’re sick of reality television? Ever since "Popstars," our screens have been invaded by version upon version of voyeuristic television. Let’s look at the players:

"Shipwrecked" (a bunch of whining Poms on an island); "Survivor" (tribal warfare with backstabbing Yanks); "Treasure Island" (Aussie version of the above two); "Ibiza Uncovered" (let’s not even go there!); and "The Villa" (10 Poms snogging all day and drinking all night). Then there’s "Search for a Supermodel" (wanted: the next Elle); "Single Girls" (five girls chat up guys in bars). . . .

If this is reality, I’d rather live in my dreams.

The permanent dream

And that’s exactly what God has done–He’s given us a permanent dream.

The place

"There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you?" (John 14:2*).

What God’s designing is far bigger than any villas here on earth and far more lavish than a remote desert island. Revelation 21 tells of our future home.

"The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. . . . The wall was jasper, the colour of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable. . . . The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl. The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass" (Revelation 21:11, 19, 21).

Is this sounding better than boring old reality television?

The Water-of-Life River, clearer than any lake in the high country, flows down the centre of the city. On each side grows the Tree of Life, which bears 12 crops of fruit per year. (I’m praying one of the crops is mangoes.) And there will be no night or any need for sun because God will be shining over the city (see Revelation 22:1-5).

The relationship

Our relationship with God obliterates these earthly relationships. You can say goodbye to backstabbings, whinings, personal attacks and betrayals. You only get these on reality television. It’s a different story in the New Jerusalem.

"Look! Look! God has moved into the neighbourhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good–tears gone, crying gone, pain gone–all the first order of things gone" (Revelation 21:3, 4).

God is all about getting rid of the things reality television thrives on.

The promise

"And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live" (John 14:3). Hey, that’s the promise, claim it!

God will one day make His dream a reality, meaning this reality will be nothing but another bad television show.

All Bible texts, The Message.