Morning Prayer
+ In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
Revelation 1:9-20 (ESV) – to be read aloud
I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”
Reflection
THE FIRST VISION – OF JESUS
“I, John, your brother and partner…” (1:9)
John begins by identifying with the people to whom the letter is addressed: he shares in their suffering and in their patient endurance, or perseverance. Indeed, “tribulation” is the lot of God’s people in this present age. John’s banishment to Patmos serves as one example.
“Back of human history are mighty spiritual powers in conflict with each other – the Kingdom of God and the power of Satan. The church stands between the two…. Tribulation here includes all the evil which will befall the church, but especially the great tribulation at the end, which will be only the intensification of what the church has suffered throughout all history.” (Ladd, p. 30)
“Write what you see…” (1:11)
John is commanded to record what he sees (“I was in the Spirit”)… and to send the entire scroll to each of the churches listed. The scroll was intended to be read in its entirety at each church. “Although the letters are written to real churches of the first century, they are relevant to the church universal, for the strengths and weaknesses of the seven are characteristic of individual churches throughout history.” (Mounce, p. 57)
“Fear not…” (1:12)
John’s first vision was that of the exalted Christ – “one like the son of man.” “The Christians were a pitiably small group, persecuted by mighty foes. To all outward appearance their situation was hopeless. But it is only as Christ is seen for what he really is that anything else can be seen for what it really is. So for these persecuted ones it was important that first of all the glory and majesty of the Lord be made clear.” (Morris, p. 53)
What was being depicted? The deity of Christ – His existence with the Father, His authority, strength and power, His holy wrath, His invincibility, and His glory. So overwhelming was the vision that John “fell at his feet as though dead.” (Ladd, p. 33-34)
“As for the mystery…” (1:20)
“The essential truth is that… Christ stands ever in unbroken fellowship with the churches on earth, persecuted though they may be. At the same time he holds them in his hand; this pictures his keeping and protecting power of a church in persecution.” (Ladd, p. 34-35)
Prayer
Glorious and exalted Christ – give me a vision of Your majesty, strength and power.
+ Forgive me for relying on TV news and outward appearances to assess what’s happening around me…
+ Forgive me for expecting peace and tranquility when the lot of Your people has always been tribulation…
+ Forgive me for being concerned mostly about myself and my family when You are concerned about the church and Your Kingdom family…
+ Thank You for revealing Yourself to me through John in all Your glory and power…
+ Thank You for holding Your church around the world in the palm of Your hand…
+ Help me to keep my eyes on You – exalted, high and lifted up…
+ Help me to prepare for Your immanent return in power and strength and glory…
I ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen
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Canticle
Christ, as a light – illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield – overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Peanut Gallery: In September, we will begin reading through the Book of Revelation (ESV). Our purpose will be devotional, i.e. to discover the word of blessing that God has for us in these troubled times… to find hope and help for our daily lives.
This will not be a Bible Study per se: we will not attempt to unravel the “mysteries” of Revelation… that is far beyond our abilities and is not our interest here. However, so as not to get too far afield, we will rely on three study resources: primary – A Commentary on the Revelation of John (George Elton Ladd); supplemental Revelation (Leon Morris) and The Book of Revelation (Robert H. Mounce).
The general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) On Sundays, we’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world. Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.
The Peanut Gallery 