Bittersweet Faith

OPENING PRAYER:

Loving Father, in this high-tech world help me to keep my focus on you.

READ: Revelation 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

Footnotes

Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3

Revelation 10

REFLECT:

‘Blessed be Your name / When the sun’s shining down on me / When the world’s ‘all as it should be’ / Blessed be Your name.’* Give thanks for the ‘sunshine’ in your life.

If your experience of being a Christian were a weather condition, would it be sunny and calm, or wild, wet and windy?

Before the seventh trumpet heralds God’s final judgment, we are offered an interlude (10:1 – 11:14). In today’s vision, an angel appears holding a small scroll (v 2). The angel’s stance on ‘sea and land’ (vs 2,5,8) suggests that its message has universal implications: God’s cosmic plans are still on track (vs 6,7). His mysterious way of bringing ultimate victory through the suffering and apparent defeat of his people will accomplish what he purposes (v 7). The good news, however, is bittersweet (vs 9–11). It is impossible to separate Christian discipleship from suffering for Christ. Jesus never shied away from presenting both aspects of the good news to his would-be disciples, but counsels that bitter persecution and sweet joy need not be incompatible (Matthew 5:10-12)!

Periods of wild, wet and windy are part of the forecast but, despite the costs, this good news must be announced (v 11): there is no other salvation story than that written on God’s scroll!

APPLY:

‘Blessed be Your name / On the road marked with suffering / Though there’s pain in the offering / Blessed be Your name.’* Pray for any you know who are walking the road marked with suffering. * ‘Blessed be your Name’, Matt and Beth Redman, 2002

I WILL STATEMENT:

I will share what God is doing in my life with someone who doesn’t follow Jesus.   

Pray with us

CLOSING PRAYER:

Gracious God, I need your peace, the peace that centers me. The peace you give steadies and strengthens me amidst the ups and downs of life.

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