A Voice and a Vision

Revelation 1:1-20
Blessed are those who hear and keep the words of the testimony. Soon. Something will take place. Well something is always taking place, so soon is a relative term. Whatever this soon means, again it will be obvious. I don't know about you but if that vision showed up in my study, I'd fall on my face too. Interesting that John says even though there will be wailing-people will be fearful or sorrowful-he says Amen-so be it.

I like his attitude, although, I am not certain that if he didn't like it, it would much matter-except to him. Sounds to me like this will happen regardless of our feelings about it. Then if that is the case what more does John say?

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

I notice that the IS part of the statement, the here and now part, is what is emphasized. Who IS first, who was, second, and who will be third. I believe this can help us shape our understanding of how to live and how to respond to God. Here and now, in the present we are to live, just as God is always present with us. The looking back is for us to know what He has done in the world and in history, and the looking ahead toward the future is useful only so far as it lets us know who will be there with us-always present.

I want to focus on a couple of things about this today. I was thinking about these lampstands and stars. If they represent the churches-then the stars are the light the churches should be holding aloft. A star is very bright, this is more than a candle in a lampstand, it is the light from heaven; so bright there is no dark in its presence. Even if we tried we couldn't put that light under a pot. Do we shine like that? Well, I don't think so, but lets see if there are suggestions on how to live into that light.

Next we have John...passing out-fainting-having a heart attack? I don't know but I can guess at how I would feel.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying,  "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades."

But Jesus put his hand on John and said I have the keys of death-get up; get up and take up your mat and walk, get up and sin no more, LAZARUS COME OUT, those kinds of keys. Jesus is alive forevermore.

Obviously John did get up, because we are reading what he wrote. What will he say, what will he record for us tomorrow? I will look forward to reading it, and considering, and incorporating it into my life.

How about you?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie