Before You Begin
Pause. Quiet your mind, take a slow breath in and out. Stay in this moment.
Passage
Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22
Reading & Reflection
I’ll be honest, I normally avoid reading Revelation. Anyone else?
Probably because I don’t understand a lot of it, but also because I’ve seen it used to instill fear more than faith. After a tug to revisit this book, I noticed something new. While I make no claim to understand the full picture, as we prepare our hearts as a church for Sacred Homecoming, this seems important.
The book as a whole is a record of what God showed John, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, about the unseen spiritual side of the world. While John was on an island called Patmos, he says he was ‘in the Spirit’ when he heard a loud voice, then ‘turned to see’ and was instructed to ‘write what he sees’ for the churches (1v10-12). He uses human language to capture spiritual realities, painting a marvellous and mysterious picture of the power, majesty and authority of Jesus Christ.
If you are unsure about John’s vision or experience, I understand. The reality of the spiritual life is mysterious and unclear at times, yet so very real. Although we live in an age of information, let’s not forget to face the sheer mystery of the God of the Universe.
In Chapters 2 and 3, John hears messages for churches in different parts of the world, with different names, strengths and struggles. Jesus has something different to say to each church, reinforcing or redirecting how to live out faith. Most often, Jesus says repent.
While that can seem like a slap on the wrist, it’s more accurately an invitation, an invitation to a better way. To repent means to rethink, to reconsider, or to change our minds for the better. Most churches, and likely most of us, have something to reconsider for the better. Repentance is how we turn our hearts and minds toward our Heavenly Father. Let us repent.
But then Jesus says the exact same thing, to every church, every time.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
This was not a direction for one of the churches; it is for all churches. It is for us.
As we approach Sacred Homecoming, let us take up Jesus' invitation and listen to what the Holy Spirit would say. Let us take the time to reconsider His ways above our ways and let us repent.
God has something better for us.
Bottom Line: Jesus is inviting us to hear, let our hearts be ready to listen.
Morning Prayer
King of the Universe, here I am, here is all of me. I lay everyone and everything at your feet, Jesus. Show me where I need to rethink and repent, today.
I am looking, I am listening, give me ears to hear. Tune my senses to your Spirit, Lord. By the power of Jesus’ life, death and ressurection I invite you to come, Holy Spirit. Come.
Evening Prayer
Jesus, I lay everyone and everything at your feet, tonight. I am here, I love you, I’m listening to you. Give me ears to hear. I give you everyone and everything. What part of my life and my thinking do I need to repent today?
[pause] I love you, Jesus.
Teach me to sit in your presence. This can be so hard sometime, help tune my senses to your Spirit, Lord. Bind and silence the lies of my enemy, and lift the veil between us. Forgive me and teach me your ways, for your kingdom and glory, Jesus. Restore me, renew me, and come Holy Spirit. Pour yourself into me and into our church, that we might live our your purposes, in Jesus Holy and matchless name.
