Let This Encourage You

Reading: Revelation 10-14 12 Let this encourage God’s holy people to endure persecution patiently, and remain firm to the end, obeying his commands and trusting in Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:12-13 NLT) Reading through the Book of Revelation quickly, several chapters at a time, is like watching a Star Wars movie. There’s so much going on and it’s happening so quickly, you just can’t take it all in as it rushes past!

As I’ve read through the first fourteen chapters of John’s Revelation Story the past few days, I’ve been keeping my eyes open for devotional thoughts that stand out to me—that relate to my life right now. Today, the thing I see most clearly is that God really is in charge, that it is all unfolding just as he planned from before he created the universe, and that those who believe in him—who trust him and are faithful in good times and bad—will ultimately be blessed. You know, sometimes in the busyness and complexity of life, it’s easy to lose the plot—to forget that this is God’s Universe and God’s Story, and that Someone really does know how it all turns out! The plot is that God and good wins! Our time on earth is brief. Eternity is long, and the ultimate outcome is completely in God’s control. God is faithful—he is faithful to himself and his own character, he is faithful to his forever plan, and he is faithful to those who serve and sacrifice for what is right! Nothing we do for him is wasted, and everything we do for him is ultimately rewarded. Let this truth and these words encourage God’s holy people to endure hardship, delay, discouragement, and pain patiently, and to remain firm to the end, faithfully obeying God’s righteous commands and always, and only, trusting in Jesus! Prayer:

Father, Please help me and my friends not to lose the plot as the story rushes by. I want to play my role, and not worry about what someone else is or isn’t doing or getting. This may not be a very grammatical prayer, but I mean it from my heart. I believe you and your word, and I purpose to live my faith. Amen.