“Come up here, and I will show you…” (Rev. 4:1)
Lord Jesus, sometimes the main thing we need is perspective—to see things from the vantage point you enjoy. You experience the brokenness of the world, the unfolding of every promise of God, and the fulfillment of our great hope simultaneously. But we have a very limited, skewed, myopic perspective. We don’t think the earth is flat; but sometimes it does feel like it’s a giant field of “weeds”—like crabgrass, kudzu, poison ivy, and ragweed.
Without seeing what you see and knowing what you know Jesus, we get lost in the “weeds.” But because of who you are, Jesus, and what you’ve accomplished, we’re actually living among huge redwoods of grace, surrounded by mountains of mercy, while rivers of providence are steadily moving history closer and closer to the Day of all things new and beautiful (Rev. 21:1-22:6). That’s not groundless hype, it’s our living hope.
The Apostle Paul lived with this heavenly, Gospel-infused perspective; and he quickly returned to it when the “weeds” seemed bigger than the “redwoods.” I love his words and I want his heart:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed later… We groan inwardly and wait eagerly”—for the fullness of our sonship, the redemption of our bodies, and the transformation of the entire cosmos. (Rom. 8:18-25).
Thank you Jesus, for every day you say to us: “Come up here in the Gospel and the pages of the Scriptures. Come up here where my throne is occupied, peace is palpable, and joy is irrepressible. Come up here and I will show you more of me, the expiration date of every “weed,” and the future I’ve won for you.” Hallelujah and so Very Amen.
