The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.
-Revelation 1:1
In the latter part of the first century, just off the coast of Turkey was a barren island, a Roman penal colony, a rock quarry that cut stones for imperial temples and buildings. When John, considered the last of the empire's greatest enemies, reached that prison island, he was perhaps eighty years old. He was the final living member of Christ's inner circle. Wizened and stooping, gray and halting, he was still forced to work in the rock quarries. Every day, while he worked, he had plenty of opportunities to meditate on what Jesus had done while he walked with Him, and in his own sixty years of ministry.
As storms blew in over the Aegean Sea, I am confident that he found great peace remembering Jesus' power to still howling winds as He did when the disciples were in the boat on the stormy Sea of Galilee. When he saw prisoners die, John meditated on Jesus' power to touch dead bodies and bring them back to life. The Holy Spirit prompted precious memories of the One who loved him so!
No matter where John was, he was near his beloved and ever-present Lord Jesus Christ. When he "looked full in His wonderful face, the things of earth grew strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace." 1 And John's heart, overwhelmed with joy, worshiped!
You and I can also worship the ever-present Christ, but we get to see more of Him than John saw. John did not personally witness what Matthew, Mark, and Luke reported. We have all the Gospels through which to see Christ, so we have an abundance of precious moments of Christ's power to meditate upon.
Christ is with us at home, at school, at work, or wherever we may be! What a thought! I wonder: Do you purposefully look for evidence of Christ's presence throughout your day and talk about it? I hope so! Jesus will never be out of sight for us. The next time you feel alone, desolate, or useless, remember that just as Jesus was never out of sight for John, He will never be out of sight for you-ever!
Article by Dr. John Barnett and used by permisison of Discover the Book Ministries.
Dr. John S. Barnett has been teaching the Word of God for over thirty years. For five years he served as Associate Pastor to Dr. John MacArthur at Grace Community Church (Sun Valley, CA) and was also a professor there at The Master’s Seminary and College. After serving in California and Rhode Island, John is presently pastoring and teaching the vibrant assembly of saints at Tulsa Bible Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. John shares his life with Bonnie, his beloved wife, and their eight children.
