When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
- Revelation 1:17-18
Have you ever thought, how would you react when you come face to face with Christ? With God? I would imagine that on one hand, I would want to rush towards Him in a warm embrace like a child reuniting with her Father. On the other hand, I think I would be in utter awe, trembling in His presence and concerned about how my actions would be judged. John, in his vision of Christ, described that he would fall at his feet as though he was dead. Christ, in this vision, approached with kindness and reassurance, with the message "Do not be afraid.".
He goes on to state that He is the First and the Last, and that He is the Living One. Dwell on that for a moment, and think on what this means.
One of my favourite terms I love about how God refers to Himself, is "The Alpha and the Omega", the "Beginning and the End", similar to this "First and the Last". It makes me appreciate how God is timeless, powerful, all-knowing, and He is everything. He is Life and He has power over death. When Christ says that he is "The Living One", it makes me rethink as to what it means to be living, and I come to believe that it is only through Christ, that I will find Life. It makes me unafraid, and no longer worried about trying to hide those sinful actions that need to be judged--because God is everything and knows everything, I can then conclude that He already knows. He knows everything there is to know about me, He knows my beginning and my end and everything in between, and He still accepts and redeems me. I do not need to fear death, for God is the master of it.
God is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. Christ is the First and the Last. For every obstacle that you come across, know that God is greater. For every joy, know that it Begins and Ends with Him. Know Christ, and you will find Life, for He is the Living One.
Reflection: Read Revelation 1:9-20, and meditate on what that means to you.
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Christ is the Living One, the First and the Last. Let's take a look in this week's blog at the bible verses Revelation 1:17-18. Enjoy devotionals and worship music on Christian Calm Radio.