Revelation 7:13-17
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple…
When Dave and I got to our guesthouse after 55 hours on a train, we wanted just one thing, a hot shower. That shower, followed by putting on clean clothes, was an amazingly satisfying experience.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple…
Drinking a glass of cool water to stay hydrated while you’re sitting at your desk is a completely different experience from drinking a glass of cool water after strenuous activity in the hot sun.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple…
Everyone around the throne of God is delighted to be there and participates fully in the heavenly worship. Those who have “come out of the great ordeal” have traveled much farther emotionally and spiritually than those of us who have lived in relative comfort.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple…
But this is not only true in our live after death. It is also true of life in the Reign of God here, in this world. It’s sometimes called the preferential option of the poor. God doesn’t love those who suffer more than those who are comfortable but those who are suffering are more acutely aware of every blessing they receive from God. This is not a glorification of poverty and suffering. It is God’s way of making it clear that every human being has value and dignity in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Prayer: O Lord, Our God: You are worthy of all honor, glory, and praise at all times and in all circumstances. AMEN