Fear not

Daily Reading:  Revelation 1

Scripture Focus: Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. (Revelation 1.17b-18)

Devotional Thought: Last week in church, a quartet presented the song "Known" by Tauren Wells.  Consider the lyrics: "You see right through the mess inside me. And you call me out to pull me in. You tell me I can start again. And I don't need to keep on hiding. I'm fully known and loved by You."

Did you catch that?  "I don't need to keep on hiding!"  God knows me and yet loves me unconditionally!

That was the message of Jesus to John in Revelation when he said, "Fear not."  The Greek word for revelation is apocalypsis.  It means unveiling.  As Jesus is revealed, unveiled, we have less and less reason for fear, for he...

·        Is the First and Last.  All of creation is the work of his hands, and all of history is lived within his existence.  Jesus is therefore the perfect Judge for he knows all truth; nothing is hidden from him.  What he pronounces clean is clean.  What he writes is certain.  When we dwell in him, we are connected with the Ultimate Reality.

·        Is the Living One.  He died but is alive forevermore.  Jesus, the eternal living one, entered into our sphere so that he might taste death for us all.  Neither death nor the finitude of this world could hold him.  By his power he conquered his own death and is alive forever.

·        Holds the keys of death and Hades.  Having conquered his own death and grave, he has wrested the keys out of the hands of our captor and sets us free!

Jesus has done all this for you and me, even though he knew us.  He did it because he knew us.  So fear not.  You are fully known and loved by Him!

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, that you are the First and Last.  You are the Living One.  You are alive forevermore.  And, you hold the keys to eternity!  I follow you with confidence and praise.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day:  19 They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image. 20 They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt, 22 wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea. 23 Therefore he said he would destroy them-- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them. (Psalms 106:19-23)