August 19 - He Holds the Keys

Overview of: Revelation

Today's Reading:
Rev. 1:1-20
"The Revelation of Jesus"

Focus Verses: Revelation 1:17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Insight:
In the Apostle John's great vision he sees the resurrected Christ Jesus, the Son of Man, who "has freed us from our sins by his blood" (1:5), and will return again -- "coming with the clouds" (1:7). The sight and sound of the glorified Christ Jesus so overwhelm John that he falls to the ground as a dead man. But Jesus puts his right hand on John saying, "Don't be afraid." Jesus is the beginning and the end. He is the Living One and is alive forever; he has conquered death and holds the keys to death. Jesus holds the keys that open the doors from death to life for all humanity.

Response and Action:
Jesus is alive; forever! He is the Living One who has conquered death. Every thought I have of Jesus will be shaped and celebrated with the amazing truth that he is alive today. He is coming again. He is the beginning and the end. He holds the keys and he will deliver me from death.

O God, help me to walk and live in the truth that Jesus is alive. Fill my heart with hope, and give me peace and confidence as embrace this truth by faith. Give me courage in the face of suffering and hope in the face of death, as I trust in Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Old Testament for Today: Deut. 32:39-40
39 "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 40 I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever..."
In Context: Deuteronomy 32

Proverb for Today: Prov. 19:23
"The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble."

Recommended Reading:
Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in an Everyday Life
by Eugene H. Peterson