SCRIPTURE
Revelation 10:1-11 (NRSV)
And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land
raised his right hand to heaven
and swore by him who lives forever and ever,
who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: "There will be no more delay, but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets."
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, "Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth." So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
Then they said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."
DEVOTION
Today I am captivated by the words, "There will be no more delay, but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets."
Lately, I've come to realize how hard it is for human beings to live with sacred mystery.
I've been doing a lot of pastoral care and counseling with the sick and dying and without fail one of the things that bothers folks the most is the inability to understand God's thoughts and ways, to discern WHY things happen, and to know exactly what to expect in the world to come.
It is the nagging questions that keep people from being at peace and keep them up late into the night full of worry and fear.
I love that today's scripture reminds us that a day is coming when "the mystery of God will be fulfilled." Put another way, "We'll understand it better, by and by."
I am so grateful that we have God's promise that one day all of our questions will be answered, all of our fears dispelled, and all of our sadness diminished.
Until that day, we must learn to live into sacred mystery. We must remember that God's ways are not our ways and God's thoughts are not our thoughts, but that God's good plan is always to bless and prosper us, giving us a future and a hope.
Although we cannot see the future, we know The One who can and God is faithful, trustworthy, and true!
Be at peace, my friends!
Let us pray:
God, there are so many things that I do not understand. Sometimes I let all of my "whys" keep me from you. Please forgive me for doubting your good plan for my life. I love you and I pledge to share our love with others. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
INVITATION
If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaL
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