Today’s Verse:
I am an overcomer by His blood and the word of my testimony (Revelation
12:11).
In Context:
Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and
his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon-the ancient serpent
called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world-was thrown down
to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the
heavens, “It has come at last-salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
has been thrown down to earth-the one who accuses them before our God day and
night. And they have defeated him by the
blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives
so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you
who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the
sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has
little time.” (Revelation 12:7-12)
The book of Revelations has always been a bit of an enigma
to me. When I was a young girl, the study of it frightened me because it is, in
part, about the end days, and the idea of all the chaos and terrible things
predicted that will happen in this future time for the world was too much for
me. Even the idea of my own death scared me more when I was a teenager than it
does now. Most likely because I am closer to it now, and even though I know I
should look forward to the afterlife, I am still busy enjoying the time and
place I’m in now. The world is far from
perfect. It is, in my opinion, getting farther and farther away from the world
I knew, loved, and thought I understood as a child, but it’s never been perfect
or ideal, all good or all bad. It just
is what it is, full of fallible human beings and incredible miracles, all at
the same time. Even in the midst of evil
and many, many things, ideas, and people I do not understand, I still hold love
for this unique world created for you and for me, and I still believe that love
is the answer to all its troubles. Love, not judgment (as it’s not my place to
judge, especially with the large log stuck in my own eye) and love, not anger
or bitterness or fire and brimstone, but the practice of love is the only way
in this new and sometimes confusing world we live in to make peace with it all,
to find contentment, to let go of what we cannot control and bring the message
of something higher and greater than all of us to the earth. This world has become so arrogant,
independent, and unafraid to say or do whatever we want that threats, judgment,
and fear can no longer bring about change, so what’s left…love.
Even in heaven, in the passage above, how did they defeat the
great dragon and his angels? They defeated him by the blood of the lamb (the
death of God’s son for the sin of everyone in the world-the most selfless and
loving act any of us could give, our lives for the forgiveness of other
people’s bad and selfish choices in life) and the word of our testimony…the
sharing of how that kind of love has changed our lives. In the verses above, they defeated Satan,
the great deceiver of the entire world, with love. So, how is my mind renewed today, by
recognizing that love is the most effective weapon to fight the most trying
situations or people in this world. Love overcomes all. Fight your problems, your worries, your fears
today with love. Give love, even when
everyone else is fighting you and trying to push your buttons, show them love
and be a part of the incredible miracles living in this day and age still has
to offer.
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