A Revelation Invitation

John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (Revelation 1:4-5a ESV)

As I stepped to the line for a couple of free throws, the home crowd in my high school gym quieted. Bouncing the ball to settle myself, I raised my eyes taking aim at the basket. Then over the hushed crowd my Dad’s voice rang out, “Take your time, Stan!” That was not what I wanted to hear at that moment. I turned my head to scowl at him before refocusing on the rim. But bless him for wanting to let his son know that Dad was with him in that critical moment. I missed the free throw, but have never forgotten my Dad’s love for me.

The verse above is much more than a shout of encouragement from the stands. John assures his readers that we matter to our Father, that he loves us and that he is a constant presence in our lives no matter the chaos around us. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are with us through all the challenges and difficulties that will come.

We know YHWH, the I AM, here described as him who is and who was and who is to come. In a world that is so unsettled, God is constant. Only God is a rock that cannot be moved. Only God is a rock upon which we can stand and never fall. John directs our attention to the throne in this passage and will continue to point us to that throne throughout Revelation. No matter what tribulations we experience in life, we must never take our eyes off of the eternal, all-powerful, unshakable throne.

We know the Holy Spirit, beautifully described as the seven spirits, who is our helper, comforter and guide. He not only indwells and fills the church, the temple of God, but he indwells each Christian whose body is a temple. John reminds us that the Spirit within us leads us into God’s presence. The Spirit gives us access to the throne of the Eternal One!

We know Jesus Christ, his life as both God and man, his death on the cross for the sins of the world and his enthronement as King of kings. When we endure trials and persecution, we recount the path of suffering that Jesus walked. He suffered much more and much worse than we ever will, and on the cross he suffered alone. We will never have to suffer alone. Jesus is the faithful witness who died yet lives. We too can endure any tribulations with our hope in the resurrection. Death has no hold on us.

So when John writes, “Grace to you and peace,” he offers no trite greeting. He assures us that grace and peace are ours because it is coming from him who can deliver it! We have already received grace by way of the cross of Jesus Christ. And we will continue to receive the grace of God who is and who was and who is to come. We have already been granted the peace of God through the cross as well. No matter how much turmoil the world is in, our peace with God cannot be taken from us. As we read Revelation, we are reminded and comforted that the Lord is and will be with us through every circumstance.

Lord God who rules from his throne in heaven, I praise you for your sovereignty over the affairs of the world. I am grateful for your Holy Spirit who brings me into your presence. I thank you for your Son who died for me that I can bring my requests before you. Your grace and peace are priceless gifts. I pray for the faith to live a life worthy of that promise. Amen.