Resilience | lent devotions

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5: 1-5, NIV

I have a question about God’s time management. Do you know how many times the word ‘suddenly’ is used in Scripture? 87 times. Do you know how many of the events described as suddenly are actually sudden? Not 87. For example, Malachi 3:1 says: “Suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple.” From the time Malachi writes to the time Jesus is born and taken to the temple is no less than 445 years. That’s not sudden.

John doesn’t tell us how long the pause between verses two and six is, but it’s long enough for him to weep and weep for all humankind. And, he doesn’t stop until Jesus steps forward to take the scroll and the whole of heaven explodes with worship because he has triumphed over the powers and principalities rendering death, sin, sickness and hell powerless.

But I think there’s still some weeping to be done and we’re the ones who should be doing it. Because if we don’t grasp how urgent it is that we get the gospel out there, if we don’t feel the heart of Jesus for the people living and dying without him, then we’re not being faithful to the assignment God has given us. We’re not preparing for the King.

It will take resilience, but we need to weep. Who are you weeping for?

Let’s pray
Jesus, I want to be prepared for my King. And I want to make sure that I have given as many people as possible the opportunity to be prepared for you, too. Give me your heart for the lost and help me to fulfil my assignment of telling them about you. In your precious name. Amen.

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