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Revelation: 10: 8-11
I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me.
Then the voice spoke to me and said:
“Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel
who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll.
He said to me, “Take and swallow it.
It will turn your stomach sour,
but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.”
I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and swallowed it.
In my mouth it was like sweet honey,
but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.
Then someone said to me, “You must prophesy again
about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
The Word of the Lord.
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All week we’ve been reading through the Book of Revelation, which deals with the end times, divine judgment, the return of Christ, his triumphant defeat over Satan, and the glory of heaven.
At this point in the Book, John has seen the glory of God. Now he’s asked to take a scroll and eat it. Notice it isn’t forced upon him; he must choose to accept it.
“Take and swallow it,” the heavenly voice says. “It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.”
What is this scroll John is asked to eat? And what might it mean for us?
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The scroll contains the Word of God, which is never forced upon us. Rather, we’re invited to take it, to savor it, and to digest it until it becomes part of who we are.
To one with faith, this Word tastes as sweet as honey, because it reveals the Truth.
However, it can also leave a sour feeling in our stomach because of what that Word demands – a change in priorities, an end to vice, and a conversion of heart.
If anyone is to enjoy the vision of God, which John was privileged to see, then we must be willing to suffer first, turning our priorities upside down, right side up, putting God first at every moment in our lives.
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For example, generous living is a sweet idea… but Christians are called to give until it hurts.
Honesty is a virtue we all value… but try being honest after getting caught in a lie.
Purity of heart is the most admirable of traits… but keeping the darkness of temptation at bay is never easy.
We adore Christ for laying down his life to save us… but he reminds us, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.” We, too, must lay down our lives for others.
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As we approach this holy season of Advent, may we develop a tolerance for the sour, trusting, in time, it all becomes sweet.
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Image credits: (1) Draw for God (2) Devoted to You (3) iBelieve.com