He Reigns
Bible reading
This calls for a mind with wisdom.
– Revelation 17:9a (NIVUK)
Devotional
Have you ever seen a photomosaic? It’s a really cool concept. When you look up close you see thousands of tiny individual pictures. But from a distance, those tiny pictures make up a larger picture of something totally different. If you were to see a photomosaic only close up, you could understand each tiny photograph but you would miss the big picture. If you only stood back from the photomosaic you would understand the big picture, but you wouldn’t understand the complexity of how the artist created the image. It’s important to look at a photomosaic both up close and from far away, only then will you understand what the artist wants you to see.
The book of Revelation is often like a photomosaic and in the next 2 chapters of Revelation John is going to have a close-up look at reality so that he will understand the big picture of what God has been developing, creating and breaking down throughout history. This isn’t an easy task for John and the angel warns him in chapter 17:9 that he will need a mind of wisdom.
We also need a mind of wisdom to look at our times and to understand each part of what we are seeing, hearing and experiencing. We need to study, stay alert and pay attention to understand the small details of the world we live in. But we cannot only look at the small bits and pieces, we also need to learn to stand back and try and take in the bigger picture of what God is doing. We need wisdom to understand how the small parts have helped create the big picture before us.
As John now sees the little parts and players of the world’s power structures start to crumble a new picture will start to emerge, one that was there all the time, but it was hidden behind the darkness. Pay attention; look closer, and then stand back. Allow your mind and heart to take in the small pieces but do not be overwhelmed by them. Wait for the new picture to emerge because as you stand back, you will find that it is quite beautiful.
– 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.