Weeping and Weeping
I am sorry today's message is late...I was going to tackle the issue of infectious disease in the Bible, but something else has been on my mind...
Since early last week I've immersed myself in the stats, facts and articles about Covid19 so that I could try to be at my best for the church in these times.
But somewhere along the way, the sadness set in...
I felt and still feel deep deep deep sadness for the loss of life, for the pervasiveness of the fear, for the loss of "life as we know it", for the hammering our economy is going to take and how the poor are going to struggle. I was/am sad, sad, sad.
The devotional message down below is a very important part of helping with this, but I want to start with a few practical things that I am trying to apply to myself:
- I think it's OK to be sad and it's OK to grieve. Take a moment to acknowledge the deep sense of loss we feel. Acknowledge it. Sigh. Shed a tear. Take it to God and say - "I'm sad."
- Slow down a bit and breathe. Things are very fluid and it's tempting to try to respond to every change. Slow down. Zoom out. God is still the same - even though our world has changed.
- Sleep more. Not only will this increase your resistance to illness, but it will increase your emotional and spiritual resilience.
- Love more. When you do interact with people show extra kindness and concern. Incidentally, the healing you bring by doing this will help heal your sadness.
- Spend simple time with your Heavenly Father. Sit outside, catch a sunrise or sunset. Put on worship music. Read the Gospels. Tell Him about your sore heart.
- Fill your tank - we all have little things that give us pleasure and restore our sanity - make an effort to do the things that renew you.
- If you get stuck, get help. If your sadness turns into something that cripples you, phone your minister, elder, or a mature Christian friend who can offer you some perspective and support.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Today's reading comes from Revelation. This section of Revelation deals with the suffering of the church over the ages. This is symbolised by a scroll with seven seals on it. The seals represent aspects of the suffering church: The white, red, black and pale horses of conquest, conflict, famine and plague; the cries of the persecuted and earthquakes.Here in the opening of the seals we are offered a breath-taking and beautiful picture:
John is weeping and weeping because no-one can open the scroll - suffering is not something we can afford to be glib about. One doesn't want to stick cheap plaster on serious wounds. Whoever opens the seals can't be a lightweight.
Suffering is something we struggle with and whomsoever deigns to open the seals of suffering needs to have the necessary integrity, authority and comprehension of our struggle with the pain, violation and anguish that suffering causes us.
So who is capable enough to open the seals and the scroll?? Who has the credibility and integrity to open these tough seals of suffering in a worthy way??
John gets his answer: Jesus is worthy to open the painful seals of suffering!- He is the Lion of Judah who has taken on suffering and overcome
- He is the Lamb who was slain - He has tasted the worst of suffering
- He has sent the Holy Spirit ("seven spirits") into our hearts to comfort us.
We dare not risk cheap answers.
The good and beautiful news of Revelation is that Jesus our Champion takes on the heavyweight of suffering and, at great cost, overcomes and comforts you and me.
| Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation5:1-6) |
