What we learn from all of this is not to become bemused with the world of the group. The world of the group is necessary or God would not let it continue. The world of the group will persist until the Lord returns—and perhaps after that!

But eventually in the Kingdom of God there will be only the world of individuals, each one of whom is understood to be infinitely precious. This is the meaning of "and there was no longer any sea," that is, any sea of people who are moved about in the world of the group.

The wicked will be gathered as individuals and confined so their self-will cannot reintroduce chaos into the Paradise of God.

You and I are not to let ourselves be swayed by the seeming importance of the world of the group. We will recognize this to be merely a backdrop for the great drama termed world history, an environment in which God is dealing with individuals.

We pay our dues as required. But then we look constantly to Jesus. What is He doing with us? He is saying, "I want to be your life. I want to be part of every thought, every word, every action. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is exempt from My participation. The smallest area of your personality or behavior that exists apart from Me is incredible loss to Me, to the Kingdom of God, and to yourself.

"I Am whatever I choose to be. In essence I Am the eternal expression of God Almighty. All My choosing proceeds from God. He does the works.

"Now you are invited into the I Am that I Am. Are you willing to turn over the springs of your person to Me? I am not asking you to be an empty vessel or to remove yourself from the reality of life on earth. Rather I am asking you to be yourself and allow me to strip away, an inch at a time, that which is worthless to you and to Me, and to replace it with that which is Divine and consequently eternal and of immeasurable significance.

"There is to be nothing whatever of your personality that is to be withheld from My cross, that is to have life other than My incorruptible resurrection life.

"This is My rest. Cease from your own works and enter it. Then you and I will have an eternity of eternities to enjoy one another. A billion years from now, by earth's time, our love will just be beginning to blossom. Before us will stretch the unimaginable wonder and glory of God's Person for He too will have been growing. There is no end. Of the increase of the Kingdom and of peace there shall be no end!

"I suffered an inconceivable death on the cross of Calvary that you might be, along with Me, a room in My Father's house. Be careful that no movement of the shallow world of the group diverts you from the daily interaction with Me, apart from which you will not attain the fullness of your inheritance."

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17—NIV) (from Being With Christ Where He Is)