Be still: Lord Jesus still my heart at the start of the week to give this time to you. May the moments I spend intentionally here have an impact on my whole week. Amen.
Read: Revelation 1:1-20
He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.’ (vv16-18)
Encounter: I recently found myself in the garden with my two children holding up a pink colander to make a shadow on the shed while shouting 'Don’t you dare turn around, it’s not safe!' Even covered partially by both moon and cloud as in August’s (frankly, disappointing) eclipse, the sun remains dangerous to view with the naked eye.
With several metaphors including that of the sun, today’s passage reminds us of the majesty of Jesus, whose very presence strikes John down ‘as though dead’. Despite reaching for John with comfort, Jesus does not deny the splendour of his being. Instead, he affirms it (v17-18). The message is clear: while we have privileged access, we cannot forget that our God is eternal, the beginning and end of all things.
The Christians with whom the vision was initially shared were living in incredibly troubled times, facing persecution and tyrannical rule. In this country we generally don’t suffer direct persecution, yet sometimes we may feel despairing in the face of earthly power – the climate crisis, a rise in hostile politics, and systemic injustices which feel out of our control.
As it did for those early Christians, Revelation provides (among other things), an important reminder that there is only one real power at play, and he has already won a victory over the evil around us, over death and the grave. Alone we may feel small, but with him, we have already won.
Apply: Is there something that worries you, over which you feel powerless? Bring it to God, quoting these verses as a reminder that he is over everything. Moving forward in hope, how can you work for resolution to this issue (through prayer, volunteering, advocacy, petition etc)?
Devote: Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, I lift [.......] before you. Alone I feel powerless, but you, Jesus, are victorious. May I draw hope from that truth and be empowered to continue to work with others for good in your world.