The Reward of Endurance
Read the Text: Revelation 7
Memorize the Text:
Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you
(Revelation 3:3 CSB)
Consider the Text: Revelation 7:13-17
The world around us is chaotic. We experience and see various forms of evil. We often reflect on the reality of persecution for those who follow Christ, especially when considering the coming end. As John unfolds his vision from Patmos, he declares that those who endure this season of persecution with faith and perseverance will receive God’s promise to His children. As John speaks of a multitude from the Great Tribulation, he mentions those who stand before the throne of God, God’s response to the faithful, and God’s care for His own.
THOSE STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE
The apostle John spoke of individuals standing before the throne of God that were dressed in white. These individuals were the faithful children of God who were coming out of the Great Tribulation. As they endured, they rested in the Lord through faith and prepared to receive the reward extended to them in the presence of the Lord. At the same time, these individuals did not perceive eternal life as a reward without responsibility. These individuals stood before the throne, worshiping the Lord and serving Him. Those who endured rejoiced in the faithfulness of God because of his presence and work in their lives and served Him because of their faithfulness to Him. Are you enduring the struggle in faith? Are you allowing endurance to prepare you to stand before the throne to rejoice and serve?
GOD’S RESPONSE TO THOSE BEFORE THE THRONE
John described the caring response of the Lord to His children who faithfully face the Great Tribulation. The Lord takes away their physical desires of hunger and thirst and fills them with nourishment that never fails. He removes them from the heat of the moment and places them in locations of peace and comfort where the scorching heat cannot touch them. God’s response to His children reflects His goodness, mercy, and grace, while also revealing His deep concern and care for His own. When you consider the Lord's promise to respond to His faithfulness, do you find hope and strength to follow the Lord through whatever may be faced?
THE SHEPHERD IS THE CENTER OF IT ALL
David penned that the “Lord is my Shepherd” in Psalm 23. This imagery reminds us of how God seeks to tend to His children, guide His children, care for His children, and be with His children. This concept of Shepherd appears again in Revelation 7. As the Great Shepherd, the Lord is positioned at the center of all the saints. He is the one who tends to the needs of His sheep and guides them to the places of eternal springs. He restores His own by providing complete healing and restoration. As the Shepherd, He dwells in the center of all His children to care for them deeply and intimately. How does thinking of the Great Shepherd standing at the center of all eternity provide great motivation to endure with the confidence of God’s faithfulness?
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
