In these troubled and unsettled times in our world, in our nation, in our neighborhoods, and in our families, it is appropriate for us to pause, step back, and take a moment to assess our situation. Upper most in the minds of those reading this devotional is the future of their marriage, their family, and the impact their situation will have upon their children and future generations. Family turmoil, violence, separation, desertion of one parent, and divorce are having a marked impact upon our families in today’s society. That said, I wish to take a look at our faith and our heritage as it pertains to your future, my future, and the future of our families and of our world.
We look to our faith and its origins and teachings from the Holy Bible. As we look to our God (hopefully you are a Christian or are seriously considering accepting Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son, as your Lord and Savior), we need to look at who He is.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Revelation 22:13
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (NKJV)
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” Revelation 21:6-7
From these three passages, we can see the essence of who God is. From Revelation 22:13, besides being the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, He is “the First and the Last.” This states that before the beginning of time, God was. And after the end of time, He will exist. (More on this later from the Gospel of John)
Revelation 1:8 speaks of God as “who is” meaning that He exists today and has impact on all of creation with its ups and downs, on our very existence. “Who was” denotes that God was here at the beginning of His relationship with mankind. But what I find most interesting is the last “who,” “who is to come.” This denotes that God in Jesus Christ is returning to call all before the Judgment Seat of God at some future date. We all need to heed this warning as we approach the end times (today, tomorrow, next month, next year, or possibly a 1000 years or more from now). Only those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend Eternity with our Triune God.
Revelation 21:6-7 states several things: Christ states “It is done” which means that civilization as we know it is finished. Upon His examination of each of us, He will (without cost) offer to those found righteous, water from the spring of the water of life. This is the same living water Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well. This is also the same as eating the fruit of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden. Both lead to eternal life. He states that the water of life leads to our Heavenly Father being our God and we will be His children.
The Gospel of John reveals:
Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was there with God in the beginning. Everything was made through him, and nothing was made without him. John 1:1-3 (ERV)
Jesus Christ is the Word and existed “before the world began” (The Alpha). Jesus and God are One and they co-existed. Jesus, the Creator, has made everything, yes everything!
Jesus is the Bright Morning Star.
In him there was life, and that life was a light for the people of the world. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not defeated it. John 1:4-5 (ERV)
“I, Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I’m the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16 (MSG)
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19
Today, we know the “morning star” as Venus as seen in the morning sky. These passages speak of Jesus as being the “Bright Morning Star.” As I look at the scripture from John 1:4-5, I see Jesus as our source of life, our source of light out of the darkness (sin) in our world. He is the light shining in the dark places of our lives and the morning star that rises in our hearts (2 Peter 1:19). Jesus is that Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16) that shines into the darkness (sin) of our world today. He is our Hope, our Savior, our All.
The takeaway is that when troubles arise in our relationships with our spouse, our children, our neighbors, our country, and/or our world, there is hope. That hope is found in Jesus Christ, our Creator, our Lord and Savior, our God, and our Friend. Through the ever present Holy Spirit who dwells within each Christian, God in Christ intervenes in our lives to carry each of us through the rough places in our lives (marriages, family, health, finances, our governments, and our world). He is always here with us. For He has said in Hebrews 13:5b: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” With such reassurance, we can face our day to day crises with hope and peace.
May God bless you in your stand.
Standing firm upon my covenant marriage vows, until parted by death.
Ben in Texas
