Longing for Songs of Hope

Our Revelation pilgrimage concludes with:

“See, I am coming soon;

my reward is with me,

to repay according to everyone’s work.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

( from Revelations 22)

My Hudson's Bay point blanket was mostly used for the 17 summers I attended a boy's camp.

Even though it's a well-made blanket, the metal cot's springs were pretty tough on its edges.

The blanket eventually ended up in my closet somewhat worse for wear.

When David Brooks wrote an editorial saying the moral threads of our society are fraying, my blanket came to mind as an image. 

Particularly now, the moral threads of our society seem to be falling apart right before our eyes. 

I see this most clearly in latest mass shooting at Uvalde elementary school killing 19 children. 

I also see morality unraveling by denying someone communion because of a political position, or attempting to accumulate power at the expense of others.

Jesus says, "I am coming soon."

I believe our souls long for songs of hope in the meantime. 

To me, Revelation 22:12-14 is the song needed as moral threads of our society continue to unravel and we enter this time of longing and sorrow.

"Standing on the Promises" is where I would begin since I am certain God keeps promises, and if Jesus says he's coming, he's coming.

"He Leadeth Me" is another song I would sing because I know Jesus steps into our longing and heartache, and will assure us with heavenly melodies.

"Shall We Gather at the River" would be a concluding song because it reminds us we are baptized people in a covenant with Jesus to sing the songs of faith and hope.

"Amazing Grace" was the song played at a community gathering in Uvalde touching souls and gave voice to their grieving. 

Just as my Hudson's Bay blanket is folded in the closet waiting for the next use, so I am waiting for the coming of the Lord to build the New Heaven and Earth.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Come.

New Earth Coming from God

Our Revelation pilgrimage continues with:

"And in the spirit he carried me away to a great,

 high mountain and showed me 

the holy city Jerusalem coming 

down out of heaven from God."

(from Rev.21:10, 22—22:5) 

 The Word of God in the Bible is about love. 

 I think it's human nature to read Revelation as a book of fear and threats. What are the 4 horsemen about? Who will be left behind? How will the earth end?

This hardly sounds like God's love.

God's love begins knowing Revelation was written to comfort Christians harassed by a cruel Roman emperor. They suffered for withdrawal from, and defiance against, Roman society, which imposed very real penalties. 

They were hanging on to hope for strength to endure the harassment. 

Revelation offered a hope over their reality by describing an apocalyptic end to the world.

The problem is that Revelation and its message remains blurred to 21st century Christians. 

Wars, hate, poverty, and pandemics have robbed people of faith with a belief in God's love. 

The harassed Christians of Rome were promised a future in God’s Kingdom, the New Jerusalem.

In the New Jerusalem, "the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb." In that New Jerusalem, "its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there".

The message isn't just about God’s love, but also describes God’s prevenient grace.

Prevenient Grace is like looking around you and realizing that God's creation, orderliness, diversity, and beauty are hallmarks of grace and love.

I think this belief in the God of Revelation may be lost in people’s hearts mainly because of the troubles and wounds of life.

It's easier to see God's presence when surrounded by nature than when in the midst of a tornado.

Yet, God's hope through Revelation is shared with all believers, whether in the seven churches in Asia, our world today, our our world to come.

The holy city, the New Jerusalem, will come from God. 

 

God's Flowing River of Life

Upper Delaware River

Our Revelation pilgrimage continues with:

"Then the angel showed me

the river of the water of life,

bright as crystal,

flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

through the middle of the street of the city."

        (from Rev.21:1-10)

I live within the beautiful Upper Delaware River watershed.

This beautiful life-giving river provides enjoyment of God's Creation when one takes advantage of the rafting, canoeing, fishing, camping, and scenic waterfalls. 

The beauty of the river continues during Autumn when the trees change color and during the Winter with its ice jams.

The river's beauty is deceiving, though, which explains the warning signs about life jackets and swimming.

Each summer some people choose to ignore the signs resulting in fatal and non-fatal drownings.

It seems to me we live in the watershed of the river of life. 

At times our watershed is bright and beautiful filled with the joys of life. 

At others, it seems dark with disruptions as our souls struggle and refuse to give up. 

For me, this winter's river of life was "dark with disruptions." That was especially true due to multiple trips to a dermatologist for skin cancer, 75 miles away, driving a 4-lane interstate, with moderate to stop-and-go traffic. 

I believe Revelations 21 speaks to us saying:

    From God's River of Life comes light; 

    there's a healing tree of life; 

    there's the flowing water of life; 

    and God’s own presence.

I understand God's presence as seen at the font, breaking bread at the table, and hearing the good news from the pulpit. 

I understand Revelation's river flowing from God and the Lamb's throne as life-giving as we are immersed into that river of life which is constantly flowing and renewing us. 

Revelation’s vision of God’s life-giving river renews hope for the future and the needed healing from the trees of life. 

Of course, none of us has any idea about dark disruptions in our future, but Revelation tells us God will bring crystal clear water renewing our souls.

Standing Before the Lamb

"there was a great multitude 

that no one could count, 

from every nation, 

from all tribes and peoples and languages, 

standing before the throne and the Lamb, 

robed in white, with palm branches in their hands." 

(from Rev. 7:9-17)

About 2006 I accompanied our youth group on a mission trip from Underhill, VT to the Bowery Mission in NYC.

At the Mission, we helped prepare and serve a meal for the homeless, cleaned up, took off our kitchen aprons and chatted with the folks who came to dinner. 

By talking together we discovered many reasons for homelessness which expanded our awareness beyond our stereotypical images. 

Our expanded awareness included the struggle of these marginalized people with their economic situation and looking for a way to get beyond their circumstances. 

This is their "great tribulation".

How would they stand before "the Lamb at the center of the throne" who would wipe away every tear?

Where do we draw strength in the tribulations of our own lives? 

In our chaotic world today with Covid-19 and variants, war, political unrest, and inflation, how do we make it through this "great tribulation."? 

Revelation 7:9 says those standing before the Lamb are "robed in white, with palm branches in their hands."

Christians "robed in white" are the baptized.

Revelation says, through our baptism, we will stand before the Lamb's throne.

Baptism doesn't mean we escape life's hardships. It means we know we will make it through them. 

It means there is God’s presence in our lives, around our lives, and beyond this life. 

Revelation 7:12 says angels worshiped God singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

We make it through our tribulations and those around us by worshipping in a community singing and praising God.

When the churches read Revelation 7, they knew they would stand before the Lamb's throne.

As it was true for them so it is for all God's people now and in the future.

Singing a New Song

““Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain

to receive power and wealth

 and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!””

(From Rev.5:11-14)

In the book Independent People, there's a story about a boy entering a church for the first time. He had never seen people like this before, so decent and happy. Such is life, he concludes, when it is lived in peace and song.

For me, singing is the soul's voice engaging body, mind, and spirit. Whether sung in Westminster Cathedral, with the brothers at Weston Priory chanting the psalms, or a small congregation singing "Amazing Grace".

That's why I'm attracted to the Book of Revelation and its passages with singing. Its fifteen hymns are sung to encourage Gods people on earth from the perspective of heaven. 

Revelation makes a spirited connection between worship and justice, between liturgy and political transformation. 

Revelation's bold claim is that singing is a deep source of hope, and at the end of the day, singing is everlasting. 

John's Revelation makes it clear that it's not just singing any songs, but singing "with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" (vs.12). 

Therefore, the singing in Revelation is about remaining faithful to Jesus in difficult times. 

The story line in Independent People focuses on a tenant farmer in Iceland struggling to remain free of debt after purchasing his farm. The farmer is surrounded by people who feel debt isn't so bad, especially the former Landlord.

The farmer's challenge is remaining faithful to the vision of freedom from debt drives the story.

John's vision in Revelation is about remaining faithful to Jesus' call of caring for the poor. 

It is my conviction that as we sing songs of faith, particularly during difficult times, we experience a deep hope, not just for ourselves, but for all God's creatures.