Wow. I can't even begin to share with you how much I am loving reading Revelations in The Message. It is like this great, heart touching, poetic writing...something where you would sit and listen to it with your eyes closed and everything just comes to life in your head...you can see it all!
"But if we persist through the initial confusion and read on, we begin to pick up the rhythms, realize the connections, and find ourselves enlisted as participants in a multidimensional act of worship." (The Message, pg. 517)
Worship...it is a heart and soul thing. It is not a church service, it is not singing...although these can both be worship. But worship is a heart thing...where you heart sings to Jesus through everything. I could not help but worship as I was reading. Praise God!
"If worship is neglected or perverted, our communities fall into chaos or under tyranny. Our times are not propitious for worship. The times never are. The world is hostile to worship. The devil hates worship." (The Message, pg. 517)
Could I worship during times as described in Revelations? Will my heart sing while I endure the pain and hardship that will come? Is this, perhaps, a reason for letting us in on some of the ways of the end times...so we will not get bogged down by what is going on all around us...but KNOW what is to come...so we can fully worship our Lord during this time?
A few verses that echoed in my head with a loud voice as I read (keep in mind that this is The Message...I don't have verse numbers in my version)...
"What's going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall! Turn back!" (Rev. 2, To Ephesus)
"Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches." (This is a recurring theme, and this is stated several times...and it is STILL echoing in my head!)
2 comments:
good stuff, thanks for sharing it!
This is really good stuff - I've been feeling the same way about my faith lately, too. My church women's retreat at the begining of January was awesome. Just thought I'd share one thing the speaker shared with us: "the most important thing that ever happens in prayer is letting ourselves be loved by God. Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). It is like slipping into a tub of hot water and letting God's love wash over us, enfold us." Brennan Manning, The Lion and the Lamb
Sorry for the rambling - this thought was so effective for me I wanted to share :)
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