Lessons from Revelation

I was at the counter of a Mexican restaurant that I had never been to before. I craved the tacos and the beans and the rice. My order was being scooped into to-go containers. And then my alarm went off.

All a Dream

Disoriented, I opened my eyes and still felt like I could smell the aroma of Mexican food. But there was no Mexican food to be had.

Thankfully, I had set my alarm a few minutes earlier than I really needed, so I pulled out my Bible to get my day started, deciding to pick up reading where my son and I had left off the night before, in Revelation.

A Revelation

As I read, I had this amazing feeling, like the passage connected to my dream! No, there were no taco trucks or Mexican restaurants mentioned in Revelation 2, but this vision from Jesus to John, made me feel like this text was something I needed to hear, that very morning. I felt it all tied together. Does that ever happen to you? Maybe someone says something, and then you hear the same thing in a message at church and then the same topic is talked about later on that day. I think God uses those moments to get our attention. After all, we are constantly bombarded with messages in the current state of our culture, and sometimes the most important things don’t get through to us, and sink in where they need to.

So here I was, fresh off a sweet Taco Tuesday dream, focusing in on this Vision from Jesus, through John, to the church at Ephesus.

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. 4. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! 5 Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. 6 But this is in your favor: You hate the evil deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. 7 Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:2-7

Lessons

Three things stick out to me in this passage.

1. God is watching us intently.
2. God is always looking to make us more like Himself (even when it hurts).
3. There’s time to turn back to Him if we have wandered away.

Which one of these three statements do you connect most with today? I’d love to heart it!

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