Devotional Thought for April 5, 2016

Tuesday: “John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth... “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:4-5, 8).

            If Revelation is so unflinching in its portrayal of the fallenness of the world, how in the world can it be a book full of hope? Well, it does that in multiple ways. Consider, for example, the verses above. Notice how twice in these three verses the Lord God is described as him who was and is and is to come. Our God was there before our trials; He is there in the midst of our trials; and He can see through to the time beyond our suffering.

            Suffering can be so all-consuming. I noticed this when my dad died and I’ve observed it in others in their grief. For the mourner, time has stopped and there is no life beyond their particular grief. I came to value conversations that were ‘normal,’ about life beyond my suffering. It was good to be reminded that life went on.

            That’s the consolation of a God who was, is, and will be. He is the ultimate perfecter of perspective. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul talks about our light and momentary troubles. Our troubles are only ‘momentary’ if someone is providing a longer and broader perspective. Since our God writes our story into the story of creation and Adam’s fall and Jesus’ death and resurrection and His glorious return, He alone gives the perspective that we need.