Discovery Journal

JoAnne B. - December 30, 2010

Scripture:

And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15: 2-4

Observation:

This scripture makes me think of all that these people will have gone through who have been victorious and how they are in a place of safety now, glorifying God. From what I have read in Revelation this month, there are many judgments going on over the earth by God and many things that Christians have had to withstand. Many have been persecuted, many have even died for their faith, many have been tempted by things going on all around them, perhaps to give in and deny Christ to avoid suffering. But, these people in this scripture have stood strong. They have stood by God and stood up to their faith even in the most difficult times of testing. Here they are in a time of peace. They are glorifying God, knowing that He has brought them through and He will continue to do so.

Application:

This scripture makes me stop and think about some of the hard questions. Would my own faith stand up to these difficult times of testing and trials that are being described in Revelation? With all my heart I say, yes of course! But, in those moments when perhaps I would be pressed to decide if I am going to die in Christ or live- will my faith be strong enough for me to deny my flesh and follow Christ? I think about how we deal with peer pressure all around us every day over a number of issues. I think about how I need to cultivate a faith in my heart and a strong relationship with the Lord, a relationship that is so strong that it is going to be unwavering no matter what! I ask myself, is my relationship with God that way right now? These need to be my life goals- to grow in my relationship with Christ daily and to share his love with others. These are never ending goals and reading Revelation really makes me stop and think about my life. What am I doing to work towards these goals? Am I making progress?

Prayer:

Lord, I come to You in awe of Your power. You have breathed life on the earth from the beginning of time, and here in Revelation we see a glimpse of how the world will come to an end. I want to be one of those standing by the sea with a harp singing praises to You, having made it through all the testing of my faith. Also, I want my friends and my relatives, my neighbors, those people who I come in contact with every day to also be there with me singing praises to You and knowing that You are the God over all. I just pray that You will help me to focus on the calling that You have given me to grow in my relationship with You and to love others enough to share my faith with them. I thank You, Lord, for how You have blessed us and how You continue to care for us every day.