By Ramona Bishop
How do you endure suffering, loss, or discouragement? The book of Revelation presents a hopeful message for suffering people. Some mistakenly see only doom and destruction in this book, but careful examination reveals encouragement and hope for your darkest days. Jesus, the Lamb of God is the King of Kings, sovereign and in absolute control. He is with you in every circumstance.
In Revelation 5, John sees a scroll in God’s throne room that no one is deemed worthy to open — except Jesus. Our Savior steps forward, the Lamb, “standing, as if it had been slain”. Because Jesus won victory over sin and death, we can boldly enter God’s throne of grace with your heartache, pain, and loss. Jesus made Himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death — for you and for me! Because Jesus is also the King of Kings, our short-lived suffering will lead to eternal triumph. For now, life may be difficult and disappointing, but Jesus knows and sees each difficulty and provides a way through.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar,
“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.
They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving
and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me,
“Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?”
And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.”
Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation.
They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.
That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple.
And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter.
They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.
For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.
And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
— Revelation 7:9-17
Revelation presents a vision of believers who have endured great trials. Clothed in robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb, they stand before God’s throne. Jesus, their Shepherd, leads them to springs of living water and wipes away every tear. Christ walks with us through our darkest valleys and deepest struggles. As our Shepherd, He promises comfort, guidance, renewal, and hope. We must entrust our burdens to Him, knowing He sees every sorrow and longs to restore us. In this uncertain world, our ultimate security and peace rests in His tender care.
Finally, God’s promises culminate in Revelation 22. The Lamb Himself will reign forever in God’s restored creation as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus will free His children from all pain and suffering. He calls us to patiently endure life’s struggles, even persecution and deep suffering, with an eternal perspective. We live with certain hope — someday everything wrong will be made right.
How do you worship Jesus as the Lamb of God, your Shepherd, and the King of Kings? His sacrifice brings forgiveness. His gentle care yields rest. His kingship gives hope. Jesus calls us to trust and follow Him. You can endure life with compassion, humility, and purpose as you await His return. The King is coming!
DIGGING DEEPER QUESTIONS:
- Ramona begins this blogpost with the question, “How are you enduring suffering, loss, or discouragement?”. What is your answer to this question?
- When and how do you extend forgiveness to the sheep you lead?
- In what ways do you show compassion, humility, and purpose as an under-shepherd?
1 thought on “How Do You Worship?”
Holly,
Your asking about an experience with perfect worship prompts these comments. I just attended an event of perfect worship, the celebration of the Eucharist at my parish church. The most important document from Vatican II was the paper Sacrosanctum Consilium. (Available online.) It was the reformation of the Mass. For Catholics it establishes the Eucharistic Liturgy as the source and summit of grace for one’s spiritual life. It is tied to Jesus’ comments on feeding the sheep. We see it as the most powerful spiritual support that Jesus , the Shepherd gave us.