And to him it was given to make war with the saints and to conquer them. And to him was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation. Rev. 13:7.
Do you remember the long, hot, lazy days of summer when you were a child? I grew up in Little Ferry, New Jersey, an amazingly backwater community less than 10 miles from Times Square, New York City. Summers I spent hanging out with friends, playing board games and swimming on the hottest days, and playing stickball and Wiffle ball when the temperature was more conducive to being outside.
The part of the summers that I least liked, however, was boredom. I was never bored on my own, because I had discovered the joys of reading and often had fun constructing games out of my imagination. The problem came when I was with other kids.
"Let's play Wiffle ball."
"I don't feel like it."
"How about a game of Risk?"
"I don't feel like it."
"What do you want to do?"
"I don't know--I'm bored."
The problem was that if I felt obligated to be with friends when they were bored, then I was stuck being bored too. Boredom today is something to avoid at all costs. No one wants a dreary day-in-and-day-out type of existence. When was the last time you heard "boredom" lauded as a major part of an "exciting" vacation?
Well, according to Revelation, Christian life is never boring. On the one hand, we have the excitement of Christian growth, of sharing the gospel, and of seeing what the Spirit will do next with our lives. On the other hand, Christian excitement involves the battle against sin and Satan, and the awareness that our faith will provoke opposition. Christian life has sometimes been termed "a battle and a march."
But the excitement of Revelation isn't always on the surface. Monotony and routine are underrated elements of the Christian life. Keep in mind that Jesus spent the first 30 years of His life toiling away as an unknown carpenter in a tiny village in northern Israel. The daily "monotony" of His existence allowed him the time to sink His root deep into the soil of God's wisdom and love. A healthy mix of excitement and monotony are at the core of Christian existence.
Whatever today will bring, Lord, use it to build character in me.
Do you remember the long, hot, lazy days of summer when you were a child? I grew up in Little Ferry, New Jersey, an amazingly backwater community less than 10 miles from Times Square, New York City. Summers I spent hanging out with friends, playing board games and swimming on the hottest days, and playing stickball and Wiffle ball when the temperature was more conducive to being outside.
The part of the summers that I least liked, however, was boredom. I was never bored on my own, because I had discovered the joys of reading and often had fun constructing games out of my imagination. The problem came when I was with other kids.
"Let's play Wiffle ball."
"I don't feel like it."
"How about a game of Risk?"
"I don't feel like it."
"What do you want to do?"
"I don't know--I'm bored."
The problem was that if I felt obligated to be with friends when they were bored, then I was stuck being bored too. Boredom today is something to avoid at all costs. No one wants a dreary day-in-and-day-out type of existence. When was the last time you heard "boredom" lauded as a major part of an "exciting" vacation?
Well, according to Revelation, Christian life is never boring. On the one hand, we have the excitement of Christian growth, of sharing the gospel, and of seeing what the Spirit will do next with our lives. On the other hand, Christian excitement involves the battle against sin and Satan, and the awareness that our faith will provoke opposition. Christian life has sometimes been termed "a battle and a march."
But the excitement of Revelation isn't always on the surface. Monotony and routine are underrated elements of the Christian life. Keep in mind that Jesus spent the first 30 years of His life toiling away as an unknown carpenter in a tiny village in northern Israel. The daily "monotony" of His existence allowed him the time to sink His root deep into the soil of God's wisdom and love. A healthy mix of excitement and monotony are at the core of Christian existence.
Whatever today will bring, Lord, use it to build character in me.
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