After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here and I will show you what must take place.”
The Apostle John
In Revelation 4, John tells us that Christ commanded him to “come up and see what was going to take place.” What follows is a nearly twenty chapter vision that is mysterious, horrific, confusing, grotesque and sublime. It’s also profoundly helpful. How? Two ways. First, whatever else John’s readers make of his report from heaven, they are reminded that Jesus wins. They may be suffering – and the letter makes it clear that their trials will increase – but only for a time. Jesus wins! Jesus wins! Jesus wins! In the end, the Lamb that was slain will triumph over every evil and those who place their faith in Him will attend a glorious heavenly banquet in His honor. Second, the view from above is very different than the view from the ground. We need to remember that. Perspective is everything.
Istanbul: The reason I’ve been reading Revelation, is because I’ve been on a tour of the Seven Churches (Rev. 2 and 3). As you may know, the ruins of these cities where they lie are sprinkled along the West coast of Turkey (Asia Minor). If you are among the many who asked me if it was safe to travel here, I will say to you the same thing I tell my Middle Eastern friends who ask me if it’s safe to return to Chicago. Press reports can be misleading.
My Last Kanye Comment (for now): Barring something unforeseen, I will not say more about Kanye for many months. I do so this week only because I resonated with much (though not all) of what Kevin Williamson had to say in this National Review piece. And I also found Fox correspondent (and former Catholic priest) Jonathan Morris’s seven minute video (and companion piece) instructive. Be ready. Kayne will disappoint. This should not surprise us. And it doesn’t mean he is insincere. It’s just a reminder that our faith needs to rest in Christ and not in the faith of someone else. And by the way, It’s not just Kanye that will stumble. You will as well. And so will the guy I watch shave. He has a long run of stupid and selfish actions.
You Should Be In Training: As I mentioned last week, we need to be in training for November 28th. I’m not suggesting you practice over-eating. (Most of us are remarkably good at that already). I mean, we need to be noticing all we have to be thankful for. Giving thanks is an encouragement to those receiving it, beneficial to the one offering it, and a command from heaven. Remember, joy can be learned. Stop right now and list ten things you are thankful about. (And if you did this last week, make it a different ten).
Benjamin Franklin on George Whitfield: If you have not read Franklin’s comments about British evangelist, George Whitfield, you are missing out. In this account, Whitfield moves a cynical Franklin to empty his pockets in support of the orphanage Whitfield is building. In this article, the author explores Franklin’s claim that an unamplified Whitfield could be heard by 30,000 people at a time.
Living Together > Marriage: About five years ago, the number of single adults living in America surpassed the number of married. Reports out this week note that we just crossed a related benchmark: there are now more Americans who have lived with a romantic partner than have married one. You can read the reports yourself. I will simply note, this trend is happening in spite of the evidence, not because of it – i.e., claims that living together is a good idea, or that it helps couples determine compatibility for marriage – are not true. The data shows that living together has longer-term deleterious effects on people. Several years ago, I gave a talk on this topic. My notes are available here.
Be Still Our Souls: One response to all the confusion and noise of our age is the classic call to silence. There are reasons for this. O. David Taylor writes, “In silence, we are confronted with God’s voice, a voice that we often drown out for fear of being found out or found wanting. In silence, we are judged for our desperate need to fill up our lives with frenzied activity. In silence, we discover that we are not ultimately in control; we are weak and vulnerable and awfully in need of God’s grace.” I am late to discovering the joys of silence. It’s now one of the more precious parts of my day.
Closing Prayer: Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you, intellect to understand you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, eyes to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, and life to proclaim you, through the power of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen Benedict (480-543)