Day 21: Read Revelation
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We've made it to Day 21! You can find the first 20 days of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge here.
As a Bible minor in college, one of my assigned classes was on the book of Revelation. Although I disagreed with some of the theology that was taught in the class (my professor made absolute statements about things that I felt were simply too ambiguous to be dogmatic about), it ignited my lifelong love for Revelation.
It's true that much of Revelation has yet to be unveiled and that parts of it are difficult to understand. But the overarching theme of God's sovereignty as revealed in His ultimate conquering of sin and death brings me such hope and joy as nothing else does. The passages that describe Heaven are amazing. To think of spending all Eternity with Christ, free from the pain and hardship we experience here on Earth, makes Revelation one of my favorite parts of Scripture. Truly, for the Christian, the best is yet to come!
Today's challenge is simple: Read Revelation from start to finish.
You don't have to read it in one sitting - if you have young children, doing so probably isn't even possible! But read through it from beginning to end, no matter how long it takes. See how Jesus is revealed throughout the book. Pour over the descriptions of Heaven, where there will be no tears or sin.
The hard part about living here on Earth is that we have no idea how long our hallways will last. We only know that we've been guaranteed hardship of one kind or another (see James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 2:6). This doesn't really lift my spirits much. But as a Christian, I have the hope of Heaven where all hallways, hardships, and trials will be forever banished. We will get to spend all of Eternity with Christ, in Whom we have unending joy.
Another blessing about Revelation is that, since we know how things will ultimately end, we can offer that same hope to others who are hurting. I have a lot of friends who are going through some really tough things right now. I'd love to be able to tell them that everything's going to be okay here on Earth, but I simply don't know that to be true. What I do know, however, is that everything will be okay in Heaven. And I can share that with those who are hurting.
Earthly trials, though they loom large right now, will diminish once we reach Heaven. Every earthly thing will fade away in the light of Jesus' presence. For the believer, there is always hope. And reading Revelation reminds me of that hope.
Today's action steps: Start reading the book of Revelation. Read it from cover to cover. You might not be able to read it in one sitting, and that's okay. Just make sure to finish it. Look for the ways in which Christ will be glorified in end times. Study the passages on Heaven. Be filled with hope, knowing that Eternity with the Lord is promised to every believer. The best is yet to come.
