Listen

Grace and peace to you from the one who is and was and is coming, and from the seven spirits that are before God’s throne, and from Jesus Christ—the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To the one who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, who made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and always. Amen.

Revelation 1:4b-6

Think

One of my favorite memories of my grandmother is the letter she wrote for me as part of a grandparents’ day celebration. She sat down to her typewriter and shared her memories of childhood. Through my grandmother’s letter, I learned more of her story—who she was and who she hoped to be.

John opens his letter to the seven churches by reminding them who Jesus is. Christians in these communities were tempted to accept the religious, social, and political expectations of the dominant Greco-Roman society. In the face of this temptation, John points them to Jesus. Notice the words he uses to describe Jesus: faithful, firstborn, ruler. Notice the way he describes Jesus’ actions: loves, frees, makes.

Which word about Jesus grabs your attention? What actions are you experiencing in this season on your journey of faith? Try turning these words and actions into a breath prayer. Use a describing word about Jesus as you inhale and an action as you exhale. Let’s try it in prayer now.

Jennie Barber

Pray

(Inhale) Faithful Witness,

(Exhale) Free me to tell your story.

Repeat three times.

Go

Go from the throne of grace,

Share God’s extravagant love,

Reveal Jesus’ breathtaking mercy,

Witness the Spirit’s transforming power,

Go boldly, with your heart wide open.