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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ISAIAH 44: 1-23. REMIND ME

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 TEXT FOR REFLECTION

Fear not, nor be afraid;

    have I not told you from of old and declared it?

    And you are my witnesses!

Is there a God besides me?

    There is no Rock; I know not any.” ISAIAH 44:8

REFLECTION

Israel was cursed with a really bad memory. Again and again throughout their national history as well as their personal memories, they had witnessed God's deliverance. They had written poetry, erected memorial stones, and created special days and festivals to remind themselves of how God had protected and provided for them. They had seen how God had defeated nations much more powerful than they. Even when traveling through the desert for forty years, they had food and drink to sustain them, and their clothes and shoes never wore out. And they passed through fortified cities whose residents were giants compared to them. Never had God failed them. Nor were any of the foreign gods more powerful than their God. 

Yet again and again they forgot. Each time they entered a city stronger than they, they worshipped those gods and adopted the customs and values of those cities. Constantly they saw their God as smaller or poorer or weaker than the gods of their neighbours even though in actuality, Yahweh was infinitely more powerful. And they had been witnesses of that. It must have been heartbreaking for the Almighty God to see His beloved children constantly running after inferior man-made gods which were unable to help them in any way. How painful it is to love with complete abandon, to be willing to give everything to a people, only to be rejected and despised by the same people. This chapter in Isaiah portrays the Almighty God made vulnerable by His love for His people, promising goodness to them, yet pleading with them to come to their senses. The all-powerful God pleading, begging His foolish rebellious lost people to come to their senses, to recognise that none can redeem them but Yahweh. If this is not the most humbling, humiliating act of God, I don't know what is. The only One who can help these helpless people is begging them to be allowed to save them.

RELATE

God is not done with His humiliation and humility. Not even close. Christmas reminds us that there is no limit to how far God will go to reach out to His lost children - to come as a baby, born in turbulent times to a young and poor (albeit royal) couple , to spend his childhood and youth as a refugee, and to live among the poorest and most despised of people. And then to die in the most cruel and humiliating way. That was God's way of showing us that nothing can separate us from His love - not hardship, not pain, not sorrow, not rejection, not even the contempt of His own people. Not even death.

Lest we forget -  that God does not hide from those in pain, Christmas reminds us that in our worst of times, and at our worst, God is with us. Because His Name is Immanuel - God with us.

REST

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger

In all our trials born to be our friend

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend. (O Holy Night)

Chiu Ming Li

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