Ten Years Gone: Revelation 22

Ten years ago, I began these daily reflections on Scripture. The goal was to get through the entire Bible in ten years. It normally took between a third and a quarter of a chapter a day, in order to read it evenly and complete it today.

But there were gaps in my commitment to it. After 911, I stopped for a period of time, maybe several months.

When I went through divorce and started grad school, in 2005, I got behind by more than half a year. But I got caught up eventually.

I wanted to find nuggets that would normally be missed, as in "The Prayer of Jabez." I think that to some degree I accomplished this, with God's help. You have to be willing to part with things you assume to be true. Of course it helps that a good part of it was journaled privately, by me. Until about three years ago, it was in the form of a Word document, and not a blog. Only I saw these thoughts. I might be kicked out of church if others read my conclusions!

It is tempting to do a lengthy summary of the decade. But instead, (as I posted recently) the goal of Bible study is to see it as a never-ending story, and eternal narrative. When you complete the Revelation to John, you are supposed to start right in on Genesis. The Bible keeps building on itself.

I mean, right here in this chapter, God is clear about the behaviors He hates; the sins that keep us away from him: lying, witchcraft (having other gods), sexual immorality, murderers. He places murder in the same category as sexual immorality. It is all about accepting ourselves as God made us (not as we THINK He made us!), and behaving as noble, godly people.

So I will cycle back tomorrow, and continue on. Perhaps more people will read it this time, and comment.

I will close with one piercing memory from the past decade.

On the Sunday following September 11, 2001, I went in to Church. The turnout was massive, on that day. The pastor, Bill Donahue, used to put the microphone out to the congregation and let people add their own prayers. I did a short one, one which I concluded with words from Revelation 22:

Come, Lord Jesus.

These words from God's word produced no response from the congregation of over two hundred people. No "Amens!" were pronounced. No stirring. Not even a sense that I had made people uncomfortable. Nothing.

The community had become unwatchful. They had learned not to watch for the Return of Christ. It had no meaning for them! This was one of the most disappointing and discouraging things I experienced in ten years. It was even more troublesome to me, than my own divorce.

But it speaks to me as a call from God Himself. I always planned to begin full-time ministry once I turned 50. That happened this year. Out of my decade of Bible study, I may add a clearly-defined purpose to God's call on me.