Revelations 22:12-21

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Read Revelations 22:12-21 Verses for meditation: Revelations 22:12-13, 16, 20-21 ESV: 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. Reflect How does it feel to be reading the very last few verses of the bible? What do the proclamations, the last few of them, say about Christ? Come, Lord Jesus! Does this really express our desire? How does the greatest book end, and on what note? But is this really the end? Relate With mixed feelings, I'm writing this last devotion based on the final ten verses of the greatest book, the bible. What a journe...
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NEHEMIAH 11, 12

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 TEXT TO REFLECT ON

TEXT FOR REFLECTION

….17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise, who gave thanks….(11:17)

…31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. (12:31) 

REFLECT

Praising God and giving thanks was a large part of the Israelites’ lives. It was an institution in the Temple worship. Even after the exile, when the Temple and Jerusalem lay in ruins, the institution of having singers and leaders of Praise had not been forgotten. So when the walls of Jerusalem were completed, Nehemiah commissioned the families responsible for giving praise and choirs to give thanks to God and to Praise Him. 

What was so important about Praise and Thanksgiving? When people praise God together, they are telling and reminding each other how great God is. Left on our own, we are often overwhelmed by our difficulties. We become discouraged and despondent. We forget how good God is. But when we gather together to praise God we are mutually reminded that our Great God is with us. 


RELATE

It is important to come together whether as a congregation or as a small group to praise and thank God. It is very hard to be positive when we are on our own. Our dark discouraging thoughts often take over. But when we gather to share how God has blessed us, or when together we affirm how powerful and loving God is, our spirits are lifted.

Whenever you meet as a small group, it is also important for each to share instances of how God has blessed you. It is better not to share blessings on the spot. Often you will have nothing to say, or you remember something that wasn’t so important and forget the more important things. Then you have not really shared thanksgiving; you have only said something to get out of a tight spot. Instead, keep a journal of how God has blessed you each day.

Here is one suggestion: At the end of each day, take a pause. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind all the blessings great and small that you had received during the day. A well-known spiritual director, Joyce Huggett once shared that in one day, most of us will have experienced 90% good stuff, and 10% bad stuff. But we are wired so that the painful stuff keep occupying our minds and it appears that we have had a terrible day. So it takes discipline to set the record straight in our own minds.

After you have asked the Holy Spirit to bring to your minds God’s blessings for the day, shut your eyes and begin to visualise the events starting from 24 hours ago. Did you sleep well last night? Did you have good dreams? Were there blessings when you woke up? Perhaps you woke up anxious but God calmed your fears. In this way recall the events of the day. Jot down the more significant ones. You may consider doing something about the blessing – If it was someone’s kindness, write a note to thank the person. If it was a financial blessing, plan to bless someone else financially. Celebrate the blessing. The more you celebrate, the more you realize how blessed you are. Then when you gather as a small group, if there is an opportunity, share it with your friends. Blessings abound when we learn to spot them and share with each other.


REST

Father, we do not need to live life despondently. You have blessed us so abundantly. Open our eyes to see your blessings and make us disciplined to want to see them. Amen.


Chiu Ming Li

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