He Reigns
Bible reading
For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd; “he will lead them to springs of living water.” “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
– Revelation 7:17 (NIVUK)
Devotional
What a lot of people think about when they think about the book of Revelation is heaven. And what most people think about when they think about Heaven is what is described in the last few chapters of the book of Revelation. But the book of Revelation is not really about Heaven, it is about the Lamb!
The Lamb is always in the centre of the book of Revelation because, as John learns, Jesus has been at the centre of creation since the very beginning. All eyes are always on the Lamb. It is the Lamb who was slain, it is the Lamb who defeated death, it is the Lamb who is in the centre of the throne room and indeed, he’s on the throne. All around him are the great beings of heaven. Their focus never shifts from the Lamb. The songs they sing are captivating and are entirely inspired by and directed towards the Lamb.
And while the Lamb is worthy of all praise and worship, worthy of all our time and focus, do you know what he’s doing? The Lamb is leading us, His people. His concern is us! He knows us intimately. If we’re hungry, He will feed us. If we’re thirsty, He will lead us to streams of living water. If we’re struggling under suffering and pain, the heat, John talks about, the Lamb is our shade! If we feel lost and like we’re wandering in the wilderness, then the Lamb will find us and bring us back to where we are safe. And our tears, the ones that seem to come from nowhere, the ones we cannot stop, the tears that betray the depths of our pain, there too is the Lamb, and with God is waiting to wipe away our tears.
Sorrow, suffering and pain are all part of the world we live in. But do not lose hope. Raise your head, lift up your eyes and there, right in the centre of your reality, is the Lamb and he has his arms open wide to welcome you and to comfort you. That is the reason why the chorus of Revelation 7 sings without stopping – there is no end to their joy!
– 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.