"There's a book of Revelations in everyone's life"

I was bummed as 2008 drew to a close and I still had several books of the New Testament to go to complete reading my Bible through for the year. I figured I was at least two months behind. But suddenly, after accepting the fact that I really wasn't going to be finished by December 31, I flew through the remaining books. I ended up being less than a week behind. I simply couldn't put it down.

It was fascinating! You know those times when you KNOW that the Bible is a LIVING book; when it's so real to you that it's almost scary? This was one of those times for me. Everything I read played out in my head, and the practical applications just kept coming.

Especially from the book of Revelations. In the past I've always dreaded having to read that particular book. It never made much sense to me, and was full of weird beings and frightening analogies. This time though, while I still have a few questions, I marvelled at the fact that God cares enough about me (and you!) to reveal His long-term plan to us! He doesn't want us to be in the dark concerning His will or His plan so He generously wrote a Book of books, something tangible for us mere mortals to handle, to help us along life's journey. It's actually some pretty frightening information in some respects, but imagine how scary it would be if we had no previous warning, and suddenly all these horrific things began to take place. And yet He repeatedly says, "Do not fear" throughout the book. So many times in fact that there can be no misunderstanding the fact the we are not to be afraid. God is in complete control. He's righteous, just, and incapable of making a bad decision. His plan is perfect. Such peace and reassurance that brought to my heart! :)

Our church's theme for this year is "Be Still And Know That I Am God." Reading Revelations showed me, first of all, that God is HOLY. So holy that you and I cannot even comprehend His Holiness. I think the devil enjoys lulling us into false senses of security that "God understands" our sin, our apathy, and our outright laziness when it comes to His service....and toward life in general. We go about our daily lives as if we have a thousand tomorrows, when the reality is that any of us could be dead before our next heartbeat. Every moment counts. Every second counts for Eternity. And we will all answer to a HOLY God, who repeatedly warns that He is no respecter of persons.

Let that sink in for awhile. It makes my heart tremble.

It matters not who I am in man's eyes; how popular, poised, and "righteous." What will God say about how I've lived my life? Standing before Him is not just a fairy tale. It's a reality that will take place for each of us.

I saw myself there.

Standing before His Holiness, with no excuses. There is no greater motivating factor, urging me to get up, and try harder, than the love that I felt from Him in my heart at that moment when nothing but disapproval and judgment should have been in it's place. I stand before Him redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. When He looks at me, He truly sees the nail-scarred hands.

The second thing I saw clearly was how very much God loves me. He and a great cloud of witnesses are rooting...for me. To succeed, to overcome, to endure to the end to honor Him! They are watching. And waiting. And keeping faith as they did so valiantly here on earth that He that has begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ!

The third thing it assured me of is that He is coming....soon. Look up, my sweet friends, for our redemption draweth nigh! I can't wait to see Him coming for me in the clouds. His return is imminent. Do not let the devil convince you that it's not. Yes, the Bible has said that very thing for thousands of years previous to today, but that simply means that we are just THAT MUCH CLOSER!!!

I've been looking forward to His coming so much that in the past I have dreamt that the glorious event actually took place. I remember looking around me. Seeing a vast nothingness. Immediately concerned about the whereabouts of my children, in an instant reminding myself that they are safer in HIS hands, than mine. And feeling afraid that God had somehow forgotten me; that maybe I wasn't really saved after all, and I was going to have to prove my love for Him by going through the Great Tribulation. And then suddenly He was there, with arms open, as if He had been looking forward to seeing me even more than I had longed to see Him! What had been tears of joy and relief in my dream quickly turned to sadness at the reality that life was as it had always been. But I've never forgotten the sense of relief I felt, too, at having a "second chance" to show Him how much I love Him here on earth.

Last year I read my Bible through chronologically using Reese's Chronological Bible. If any of you have never done that, please seriously consider it. Wow. It makes a huge difference. Things that never made sense to me before fell perfectly into place. One thing I didn't like so much about it is that the genealogies go on forever longer than normal because they are not split up, but at the same time they made more sense overall than ever, too. What I thought I would dread I actually enjoyed looking at a little more closely. :)

This year I plan to do it again except with more emphasis on living the Bible than getting through it in an allotted time. Josh's mom does that, and she usually gets through her Bible more than once a year because of it! :)

It's a small miracle, but I am not afraid of what this year holds. I'm excited! I've said it before, and I know I'll say it again, but I can't wait to see what great thing God is going to do next! I am unspeakably thankful to have such a capable and caring Friend in times like these. I now know that God delights to share His wisdom and knowledge and omnipotence with me, to show me clearly who He is and what He can do, and I am hungering and thirsting for more in a way I've never experienced before.