Scripture: Revelation 7:14–17
I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
For this reason they are before the throne of God and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
They will hunger no more and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat,
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (NRSVUE)
Observation:
There was a great multitude of people dressed in white, with palm branches in their hands, singing praise to the Lamb.
Who were these people?
They were the ones who had come through the great ordeal, those who had suffered because of their faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Their robes had been made white in the blood of the Lamb. And after all the suffering they had endured, they were there before the throne of God, worshiping day and night.
The One on the throne would care for them and shelter them forevermore. They would no longer go hungry or be thirsty. The Lamb would care for them just as a shepherd cares for the sheep. The Shepherd knows the way to the springs of living water. Even now, they would be refreshed by the life-giving presence of God.
There may be weeping for a season, but God will be there to wipe away every tear.
Application:
Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. How appropriate to have this passage of Scripture remind us to pray for those who are being persecuted today.
I went to the website for the organization Open Doors to look for their resources for this day. Imagine my shock when I recognized the picture of someone from one of the countries where it is dangerous to be a Christian. I know personally that this individual has been imprisoned for their faith. And there are more people like this than we care to know.
It’s so easy to become engrossed in our own lives that we don’t slow down long enough to realize what it costs some people to follow Jesus Christ. Where I live, it’s relatively easy. There is freedom to worship. But Open Doors identifies the following countries as the most challenging places for believers today.
I suggest we pray today for believers in North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Libya, and Iran.
They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to intercede for them as they pay an incredible price to serve the Lord.
And they don’t just pay the price. Many continue praising and worshiping in the midst of their suffering. Their faithfulness ought to challenge us to consider our own commitment to worship. They love the Lamb, the One who is seated on the throne, more than life itself.
One day, the Lamb will lead them to the springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Until then, may we faithfully remember them in prayer.
Prayer:
Lord, I pray today for my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering in other parts of the world. Would You extend Your hand of protection over them as they faithfully live for You in difficult places? Strengthen them, encourage them, and remind them that they are not forgotten. And help those of us for whom it is not difficult to serve You to love You more each day. Amen.
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