He Reigns
Bible reading
13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
– Revelation 1:13-16 (NIVUK)
Devotional
I grew up hearing all the stories about Jesus, all the miracles he did, the parables he told, how died and rose again for me. He was the meek preacher, the good teacher, the gentle healer, the loving shepherd, the suffering servant, and then the risen Lord. I even had a picture of Jesus that my Grandma gave me. It was in a little frame and Jesus was quite Swedish-looking with long brushed hair, a smooth complexion with a perfectly trimmed beard. He was looking up to something and all around him was aglow. I now call this Jesus of my childhood: safe Jesus!
And while “safe Jesus” might comfort a little girl as she lays down to go to sleep, Safe Jesus doesn’t seem too helpful for the unsafe world we live in. Everyday we face the dangers of our secular society that is trying to silence our voice. We struggle with the temptations of a politically correct, consumer-based, capitalistic society that drains us of our humanity while trying to convince us that this is all there is to being human! Our desires are stimulated by a constant bombardment of advertisement, sexuality, and the easy life. Our churches fill up with great entertainment but with less and less substance. In order to stand firm and to run our race well, we need more than “safe Jesus”; we need the King of kings and Lord of lords.
That is what the early churches needed too. That’s what John needed. And when he turned around that day to see the one who spoke to him, he did not see “safe Jesus”. He saw Jesus in his resurrected form. He saw strength and power, he saw wisdom and holiness, he saw stability and beauty, he saw a King and a priest. This was his best friend, the one he simply called Jesus, but now he saw Him as He really is: All powerful and all-knowing.
In his book, the Lion, the witch and wardrobe, C.S. Lewis uses a lion as a symbol for Jesus. “Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
This is the real Jesus as he is now. Not a baby in a manger, not a humble teacher/preacher, not even a compassionate healer. His time as a suffering servant is over. He is now as He always was – victorious, powerful, wise and good. This is the Jesus who is standing with us even today and who will stay with us until we see him face to face as John did.
– Connie Main Duarte
This devotional is part of a series that helps us navigate the texts of the book of Revelation with fresh eyes. A new devotional every Saturday.
These devotionals are available in Portuguese and in English.