“When I saw him, I fell at Jesus’ feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” Rev.1:17-18
Dear Jesus, how encouraging—when you came to John in this vision, he was 84ish, under arrest, in a season of real stress. You invaded his exile on Patmos with the power of your presence. You weren’t John’s distant memory, but his reigning King and near friend. You love us like this too, Jesus.
You’re always near. You’re always coming to us—in fact you never leave us or forsake us. You make your presence known in a myriad of ways—some are spectacular, some are subtle. Yet, Jesus, you always say a few of the same blessed things to us. “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I hold the keys…” Thank you.
Sometimes the Spirit makes your presence so palpably real through the Scriptures, like John, we feel your “right hand” on us. Sometimes you come to us through the calming, centering presence of a friend. Sometimes you speak to us through the page-less book of creation—declaring your glory, playfulness, power, and beauty. Sometimes it’s when the bread of communion is broken, or when we hear a child pray… but you are always near.
Strife and rife, illness and brokenness, old wounds and new hurts, our hardest relationships and most troubling circumstances … none of these get the last word, Jesus. You do. So Very Amen.