Revelation 1:3

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”

Again, God’s expressed desire for each of us, as it was for John and his friends, is to bless us, certainly not to discourage us or strike us with despair.  No, we recall that the Greek word, makarios (blessed), opens the book and closes it twenty-two chapters later, “Blessed are those who wash their robes…” v 14  and “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” v 7

As I open my mind and heart to hear and receive the word of God in the Revelation given to all of us through the Apostle John, I feel a divine flood of blessing flowing over my being. Even if I can figure out only on tenth of the meaning of the many pictures and images that punctuate the book, my faith is confirmed. I need not know the meaning of each image and number, in fact that adds to the glory of the mystery. If I could figure it all out then the thrill of ongoing revelation is stymied and I am the poorer.

The feeling we are left with is a settled feeling.  God knows exactly what is happening in our lives. He knows even better than we do. He also knows that he will usher in a new day when all will be clear as crystal, when we can all join the choir that sings over and over again, with meaning, “Worthy is the Lamb.”

The Comforter has come, the Holy Spirit of our Loving God. He brightens our eyes to see the marvels of God’s grace. The day will come, hopefully beginning now, when we will not doubt for a moment the love of God for us nor will we doubt his ultimate control of all things. That impresses me more and more as the years pass for me.

Thank you, my friend, for holding the book with me as we are blessed by reading about the love of God that found the way to save us, to set us free and to use us to share abroad the news of his goodness, The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And lest we forget, “The time is near.” It is now, and stretches from here to eternity.