We Believe

Revelation 22:1-6

When I was in college and had a big test looming in front of me, I would play a mind game to help me get through the difficult time of studying. I just kept telling myself, “Don’t think about the test. Think about when the test will be over.” I don’t know that this helped my grades any, but it did help relieve the stress.

 John wrote Revelation from the island of Patmos which was likely a Roman penal colony. He was sent there because of his Christian beliefs and witness. In fact, during those days, many Christians were being persecuted because they refused to worship Caesar as Lord. Those were very difficult times for believers.

In part, Revelation was written as an encouragement to those believers experiencing first-hand the wrath of the Roman authorities. John pointed them to what lay beyond the persecution; beyond the test of life on earth. For believers today, he points to the Tree of Life; to Eden restored.

If you think of it, what John did was similar to what I did in college; to look beyond the

pain and suffering of the here and now. Clearly, there is no comparison between the pain and suffering that the first century believers endured and me taking a test. But the principle is the same; look past the immediate trials to the end.

You may not be going through persecution or taking a test, but you may be experiencing other trials. Maybe a loved one has been diagnosed with inoperable cancer; maybe you didn’t get the promotion you deserved or you were fired or the daily grind of work is a burden; maybe you struggle with an addiction or someone in your family does; maybe you deal with depression or a mental illness.  

Whatever your struggle is, John is telling you that ultimately, victory is waiting for you. The New Eden is at the end of the road, where living in His presence and seeing the face of God will be your daily reward.

In 2013, the Newsboys released a song titled, We Believe. The final words of the song are, “We believe he’s coming back again”. That’s what John wrote to the believers in the first century, and to us in the 21^st century.

 If you have a moment, listen to the song and see if it doesn’t give you the Hope to make it through your temporal trials.