The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let everyone who hears say, "Come." And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let everyone who wishes take of the water of life without cost. Rev. 22:17.
Isn't it amazing how many people wait until their deathbed to apologize to either a family member or a friend? It seems that when people are bedridden, or in a weakened state, or near death, they start to contemplate their life and the impact that they might have had on people. Hospital chaplains witness such deathbed confessions many times.
Why do people wait until the end? Why do they procrastinate until it is too late to undo the injured feelings that have partially destroyed someone else's life? Why didn't they make thier amends when it would have done some good instead of waiting until they knew others would have pity on them? Is this not cowardice? fear? human pride?
People do not like to risk being made a fool. The fear of appearing to be foolish, or wrong, is so strong in most of us that we spend our lives pretending that everything is OK. We are afraid to admit that we were wrong, afraid to appear foolish to others--especially our own families!
But who was the biggest fool that ever lived, according to human standards? Who endured total humiliation in order to reestablish a relationship with you and me? Christ, of course. He never once feared making a fool of Himself. Even when others jeered, "He saved others,...but he can't save Himself!" (Mark 15:31, NIV).
Jesus became the biggest fool that ever lived so that the real fools might come to love Him as He loved us. He put relationship before His own pride. Tempted to come down from the foolish cross, He still reached out to us, not caring if people called Him foolish.
The book of Revelation, as we have seen, is full of unusual stories and even stranger creatures. It would be easy to get the impression that war, famine, pestilence, and judgment are its primary themes. But our text for today reminds us that the fundamental topic of the entire book is the "revelation of Jesus Christ."
Revelation reminds us that salvation in Christ came at infinite cost (Rev. 5:6; 12:11; 13:8), yet it is absolutely free to us. But the foolishness of the human heart rebels against receiving anything that it hasn't earned. We humans fear the foolishness of admitting that we are wrong, that we need what Christ offers (Rev. 3:17). But in His sacrifice we see that it is foolish pride that causes us to postpone the day of our salvation.
Lord, I accept the water of life that You offer so freely. My pride suggests that I do something special today to earn the gift. Help me to trust in Your loving and graceful provision.
Isn't it amazing how many people wait until their deathbed to apologize to either a family member or a friend? It seems that when people are bedridden, or in a weakened state, or near death, they start to contemplate their life and the impact that they might have had on people. Hospital chaplains witness such deathbed confessions many times.
Why do people wait until the end? Why do they procrastinate until it is too late to undo the injured feelings that have partially destroyed someone else's life? Why didn't they make thier amends when it would have done some good instead of waiting until they knew others would have pity on them? Is this not cowardice? fear? human pride?
People do not like to risk being made a fool. The fear of appearing to be foolish, or wrong, is so strong in most of us that we spend our lives pretending that everything is OK. We are afraid to admit that we were wrong, afraid to appear foolish to others--especially our own families!
But who was the biggest fool that ever lived, according to human standards? Who endured total humiliation in order to reestablish a relationship with you and me? Christ, of course. He never once feared making a fool of Himself. Even when others jeered, "He saved others,...but he can't save Himself!" (Mark 15:31, NIV).
Jesus became the biggest fool that ever lived so that the real fools might come to love Him as He loved us. He put relationship before His own pride. Tempted to come down from the foolish cross, He still reached out to us, not caring if people called Him foolish.
The book of Revelation, as we have seen, is full of unusual stories and even stranger creatures. It would be easy to get the impression that war, famine, pestilence, and judgment are its primary themes. But our text for today reminds us that the fundamental topic of the entire book is the "revelation of Jesus Christ."
Revelation reminds us that salvation in Christ came at infinite cost (Rev. 5:6; 12:11; 13:8), yet it is absolutely free to us. But the foolishness of the human heart rebels against receiving anything that it hasn't earned. We humans fear the foolishness of admitting that we are wrong, that we need what Christ offers (Rev. 3:17). But in His sacrifice we see that it is foolish pride that causes us to postpone the day of our salvation.
Lord, I accept the water of life that You offer so freely. My pride suggests that I do something special today to earn the gift. Help me to trust in Your loving and graceful provision.
RSS Feed
