9 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” 12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-20
Questions for Reflection:
Reflect for a minute on the fact that John (now exiled to and island) admits in the first verse of this text that suffering and patient endurance are ours as followers of Jesus. How does that challenge or confirm you expectations of what the Christian life would be like?
There is a tender yet powerful compassion Jesus reveals in how He treats a frightened and overwhelmed John, He "placed His right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last....". Imagine yourself today getting that kind of personal attention from Jesus especially in dealing with your fears. How will this reality bless you heart today?
Prayer of the Week:
Jesus, I love You! I want to love You today with my whole being… my whole heart, soul, mind and strength. Jesus, show me, teach me, mentor me in how I can love you well today. I need your help, your Spirit and your strength so that today I “love my first love first”. I consecrate my body to You, my money, my energy, my effort, my intellect, my sexuality, my family and all my relationships to You …. so that in all of these dimensions of my life I might love You well this day. Thank you for loving me first and always, even the many times I have not loved you back. Today I will “love my first love first”. I love You! Amen
