Ruminations and Ramifications

A New Kind of Peace

This morning I opened my Bible and ended up in Revelation, Chapter 13. I was so fascinated by it that I read all the way to the end.

What used to frighten me was now peaceful to read. The book of Revelation opens with these words:

1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

I have a new kind of peace, one that is sinking deeper and deeper into me. Now, I still fear and revere the Lord God. We aren't to NOT fear Him. (Now, I KNOW this, but I don't always live that way, God help me.) Yes, He is a friend of ours now, but that is ONLY through the intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is still a fearsome and awful God.

I remember conversing with a friend about how we always seem to come skipping gayly into the presence of God, yet I read that nowhere in the Bible. We are to approach the throne boldly. Not flippantly. We have a high priest on duty 24/7. But He intercedes between us and a God who is holy and righteous. There is none like Him.

So, read the book of Revelation. Read it with joy. Know that the perseverence of the saints will reap a great reward one day. It is the story of our final victory! But read it with reverent fear, because those around us who don't know the One True God will be subjected to all of God's wrath and fury. Knowing that, shouldn't we plead with them to seek after Him?

We plead with the mentally unstable to seek professional help. We plead with criminals during hostage situations to not harm anyone. Yet we don't plead with those who are standing in the way of God's wrath to turn from their sinful ways and pursue the Lord.

Regardless of whether one believes in election or not, the command Jesus gave was clear. That was to preach the gospel to every living creature.

If it has a pulse, it ought to hear this message.

posted by Marcian @ 10:15 AM