READING: Revelation 7
“And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
Revelation 7:10
The book of Revelation is a reminder that followers of Jesus Christ will face struggle and persecution.* While it’s possible that not every one of us will face persecution, it would be foolish of us to assume we’ll never face the vicious arrows of the enemy. The Bible simply has too much to say about the church’s suffering to think we’ll always avoid it.
What we also learn from this book, though, is that God’s plan will not be thwarted by the enemy’s work. No, God will still gather to Himself the nations that will worship Him eternally: “After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Rev. 7:9-10).
That’s one of the most powerful pictures of the Bible. God, who told His followers to make disciples of all peoples of the world, will one day hear the praises of those from every people group. He will accomplish His plan. With that truth in mind, we must serve Him fully today, knowing that He will reign forever.
ACTION STEPS:
- If you find yourself waiting for God to answer a prayer, trust Him in the meantime. He will carry out His plan — including His plan to exact judgment on His enemies — in His own time.
- Consider how you might play a part in taking the gospel to the nations. Talk to your pastor or missions leaders about opportunities through your church.
PRAYER: “God, thank You for Your Word known as the book of Revelation. Use it to challenge me to repent from my sin, trust You fully, and live in light of eternity today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: For the remainder of the year, I plan to post devotions based on some of my favorite Bible texts. For tomorrow, read Matthew 1:18-25.
*devotion first published in 2015
