Pressing through Covid
A few weeks ago someone reported a recent conversation with someone who had lived through the war. This elderly person said that they thought that Covid was more difficult to bear than WW2. At least in the second world war there were no restrictions on seeing one another, apart from curfews. People could meet in groups and talk, families could meet, churches could meet.
The one word we need to hear every day is "Persevere!" "keep Going!" "Don't give up!"
We in the West have had Christian living so easy by contrast with most Christians who have ever lived. Most believers have had to persevere on and on through years of grinding persecution.
The Victorious Ones of Revelation
In our A-Z of Salvation words we have come to 'Victorious.' This word, perhaps not surprisingly, is used many times in the book of Revelation, to describe the believers who do not give up in the face of persecution. They are the 'victorious ones'.
Again and again, to motivate them to keep going, wonderful promises are made to them:
The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death. (2:11)
To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. (2:17)
What is common about all of these great and precious promises is that they all relate to future blessings not to present ones.
God promises to all who persevere great and eternal blessings in the world to come.
To be Victorious
To be victorious in the book of Revelation sense is more than keeping on going, although that is included. We are not only to press through doggedly and stoically and faithfully but to have a spring in our step as we do so, a song in our hearts along the way.
The victor rises over the challenging situation. The victor is not a man floundering with his head just barely above the water, he is swimming strongly against the tide and storm.
Summing it All Up
Of course we cannot be victorious in our own strength. Without Jesus we can do nothing. But if we abide in him we can do all things through him who gives us the strength.
In this present pandemic what do the folk around us see? Do they see us floundering, barely keeping our heads above water? Or do they see a band of people who by the mighty victorious resurrection power of Christ Jesus are continuing to live joyful and outward looking lives?
May the Lord help us to be victorious by his power as we eagerly look forward to the victor's crown and reward.
A SONG FOR THE DAY
Perhaps this pandemic will have developed in the Lord's people a greater longing for the glorious return of Jesus Christ and the splendour of the world to come.
There is a day
That all creation's waiting for,
A day of freedom and liberation for the earth.
And on that day
The Lord will come to meet His bride,
And when we see Him
In an instant we'll be changed
The trumpet sounds
And the dead will then be raised
By His power,
Never to perish again.
Once only flesh,
Now clothed with immortality,
Death has now been
Swallowed up in victory
We will meet Him in the air
And then we will be like Him
For we will see Him, as He is
Oh yeah!
Then all hurt and pain will cease
And we'll be with Him forever
And in His glory we will live
Oh yeah! Oh yeah!
So lift your eyes
To the things as yet unseen,
That will remain now
For all eternity.
Though trouble's hard,
It's only momentary
And it's acheiving
Our future glory.
Phatfish
You can sing victoriously along HERE.
A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
Our ever-caring Father in heaven,
We lift before you our brothers and sisters experiencing persecution around the world today. May they remain faithful to the end.
And may we too not only persevere, but persevere with power and joy, in the mighty strength that you grant to your people by your Holy Spirit.
Keep us from joylessness and ingratitude.
We look forward to the many promised blessings given to your victorious people.
Forgive our many sins,
For Jesus' Sake
Amen
Photo by Japheth Mast on Unsplash
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