Monday, October 30: Revelation 1- Life back then.

It can be common for people to remember nostalgically life ‘back then’ where the ‘back then’ is some golden era people dream to return. Church people often remember some former pastor and a time when their church was this or that or they remember a decade in their past when ‘life was good.’ Some people in the church long to return to the exciting days of the New Testament… as if the goal today is to return the church to the days of the early church and the Book of Acts excitement.

One problem with these statements is that we recall the wonders of the particular time gone by but leave out some of the more difficult parts of life back then.

For those who want to return to the ‘early church’, love the excitement, the conversions, the miracles and wonders. Truly those are wonderful. However, persecutions and hardships came with those wonders.

I was struck by John’s description in verse 9. I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I, John your brother and companion in the:

Suffering; many in the early church suffered for their faith. There were seasons of persecution that are beyond the thoughts most of us have of persecution. Yes, they saw miracles, but many died to see those miracles.

Kingdom… John was a companion in the kingdom, which I take to mean they saw the wonder of people coming to faith and God’s reign growing and affecting many. I think we all long for this

Patient Endurance… but to see the kingdom they needed patient endurance. This was a phrase used often to call people to hang in there when life grew difficult, ‘Despite hardships and pain keep loving and obeying Jesus. Don’t give up’. These are words spoken during the hardest of times to encourage people to stay the course and not bale out.

Those ‘wonderful days’ of the early church were filled with wonders of God on the move, but they were also filled with costs to the people of God.

The nagging question in my heart, as I hear John’s description, goes like this, “Am I willing to endure the hardship to see the fruit of kingdom growth?”

That question has no simple answer for me… I admit I like my comfortable life. I would rather keep my comforts and see the miracles. However, that has not been the way of history and certainly wasn’t the way in the early church and the days of John.

Ugh, my selfish ‘self’ rises up again.

Oh, Lord, forgive me… forgive me… forgive me. My heart still needs much spiritual surgery and repair. Please send Your Holy Spirit and begin the much needed work in me. I pray… in Jesus’ name. Amen

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