May the mumbling commence!
Admit it. There have been times in your life that you have thought, “Woe is me!” Why did God allow such woeful times to come upon me? What does God expect of us as we suffer through our woes – whatever way they may take their shape?
Today’s reading comes from Revelation chapters nine through eleven. These chapters contain the three woes that the eagle announced at the end of chapter eight. It is far too easy to get caught up in the woes. What do these images represent? What do they mean for us?
I believe a more important question to answer is: What is God expecting of us in times of woe? One of the first expected responses is found at the end of chapter nine – repentance. Read it below:
The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Verses 20-21)
God desires our repentance. Repentance is partially defined in this brief passage as stopping. Stop worshiping demons and useless idols. Stop murdering and manipulating and over-sexualizing and thieving. Stop believing in the myth of redemptive or positive violence. Try that one on in the violent society of the United States!
Why does God have such patience with us? Why does he wait until the time for repentance is complete? This completeness is symbolized in the number seven. “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets (10: 7 – ironically)."
I said that stopping is only part of repentance. The other part is returning to God – tasting and seeing that Lord is good. Read later from chapter ten:
So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. (Verses 9-10)
Take and eat the scroll. Ingest the Word of God. Make it part of your very being. Apparently, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. But, why does it turn sour in the stomach? Maybe it is because God’s Word is the antithesis of what we normally ingest.
I was known to be a particularly picky eater when I was a child. Some would say that to a lesser extent I still am a picky eater. Studies say it takes a number of times of tasting a new flavor (seven maybe) to develop a taste for it.
Unfortunately, you and I have developed tastes for foods that damage us. We think these foods taste good, and we hope they are good for us. But the only food that will sustain us in eternity is God’s Word. We must become accustomed to it. Eat it, and eat it again.
And what are the seventh trumpet and the last woe? It is announcement from heaven that God reigns. And there is… Guess what! There is worship. Read it in the last section of Revelation chapter eleven.
Another piece of repentance is worshipping the only true God. Repentance is stopping and eating (of the Word of God) and worshipping (God alone).
Now we know what is expected of us. Can we only do it? Let us join hands together with the Holy Spirit of God and repent.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
No comments:
Post a Comment