As I was preparing to have my final Bible reading devotional last night for the year 2015, I heard fireworks going off outside in celebration of the New Year fast approaching. There were more fireworks than usual, I thought, because now they are legal in Georgia. For the last several years, I have used a Daily Walk Bible to read the Bible through each year. This particular Bible divides the entire Old and New Testaments into 10-15 minute readings and enables you to read from Genesis through Revelation chronologically in one year. So, last night's reading for December 31, was the very last three chapters of the Bible in Revelation.
I absolutely love reading a good book that has a happy ending, don't you? Well, the end of Revelation is the very best ending (for the follower of Jesus) imaginable, and yet is very much beyond imagination. I mean, how can we possibly imagine all the things that hurt, kill, or destroy us, being totally abolished into oblivion forever? How can we possibly imagine the King of Kings and Lord of Lords arriving in the sky with shouts and trumpets blasting? How can we possibly imagine the joy we shall experience as we meet Jesus face to face for the first time?
I also absolutely love reading a good book where the good guy wins, the guy gets the girl, and they live happily ever after. I know it rarely happens exactly like that on earth, but according to Revelation it WILL happen in the time to come. Jesus will win the triumphant battle against evil (Rev. 19). Jesus (the Lamb of God) will be joined to his bride (the Church) (Rev. 19), and so shall we ever be with the Lord in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 22).
These are comforting thoughts in this age of terrorism, violence, unrest, and unbelief, I thought. I wonder how much longer Jesus will wait to come? Maybe 2016 is the year. Maybe not. In any event, the final words recorded by Jesus in the Bible proclaim the reality and certainty of these events: "Surely I AM coming quickly".
So last night, reflecting on all this, I plugged in my earbuds, cranked up the volume on my MP3 player, and listened to George Frederick Handel's beloved "Halleleujah chorus" and then Twila Paris' "Days of Elijah". Wow. That was powerful and I wiped away a tear or two, took out my earbuds and listened to the end of the fireworks going off in a distance. I thought, how appropriate to hear celebrations right after reading the end of Revelation and listening to such triumphant music. Yes, it was a profound New Year's Eve.
Happy New Year and Blessings,
George
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