God is in Control: A Reflection on Revelation 1:8

Today, while meditating on Revelation 1:8, which says:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

This verse struck me with a profound sense of awe and gratitude. It reminded me that God is in control of everything. He is the beginning and the end, the one who created all things and who will bring them to their final destination. He is the eternal and unchanging God, who has always been and always will be. He is the Almighty, the sovereign and omnipotent ruler of the universe.

What does this mean for me? It means that I can trust him with my life. He knows me and cares for me. He has a plan and a purpose for me. He is with me in every situation and circumstance. He is able to do immeasurably more than I can ask or imagine.

There is great comfort and confidence in knowing that God is in control. No matter what I face, I can rest in his love and power. He is my hope and my strength. He is my God and my Savior.

I encourage you to meditate on this verse and let it fill your heart with peace and joy. God is in control, and he loves you more than you can ever know.

 

Eat - Pray - Love: How Jesus Satisfies Our Spiritual Hunger and Thirst

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life, if any come after me he will never hunger and if any believe in me they will not thirst.

Are You Hungry?

Do you have an appetite? What does spiritual malnourishment look like? Where are you looking to satisfy your hunger and give you contentment?

Many people today are hungry for meaning, purpose, and happiness. They try to fill their emptiness with worldly things like money, fame, power, pleasure, or relationships. But none of these things can truly satisfy our deepest longings. They only leave us wanting more.

This verse reminds me that Jesus is the answer. The satisfaction with eternal proportion is not something we obtain, it is a gift and it comes from Jesus Christ’s gift of salvation through His death, burial and resurrection. It is our job to receive the gift and then . . . Eat - Pray - Love!

Eat

Our spiritual diet is as important as the physical, maybe more. What do you have a craving for? What type of appetite have you developed? Spending time chewing on God’s Word and meditating on it should be the appetite you are developing and just like eating breakfast, lunch and supper each day, we need to find time to sit down and feed on the Word of God daily.

Some benefits of eating God’s Word are:

• It nourishes our soul and gives us strength
• It guides our steps and lights our path
• It corrects our mistakes and teaches us wisdom
• It comforts our hearts and gives us peace
• It transforms our minds and renews our spirit

Pray

Jesus said to come after him, growing our relationship with Him is also an important part of spiritual contentment and spending time talking with him and hearing from him is a vital nutrient to our spiritual health and well being.

Some benefits of praying to God are:

• It expresses our love and gratitude to Him
• It acknowledges our dependence and trust in Him
• It confesses our sins and asks for His forgiveness
• It requests His help and intervention in our needs
• It aligns our will with His will and submits to His authority

Love

Belief in Jesus always bring about action, if we hear the word, grow in our relationship with him, we can’t help but be satisfied and content. That contentment will be overflowing in a way that we can’t help but want to share it with others. We will naturally put the love of Jesus into action, by loving others and lavishly giving to others out of the contentment and joy in our hearts.

Some benefits of loving others are:

• It reflects God’s image and character in us
• It obeys God’s commandment and pleases Him
• It builds God’s kingdom and expands His mission
• It blesses others and meets their needs
• It enriches our lives and makes us happy

Jesus is the bread of life who satisfies our deepest needs and desires. He invites us to come to him, believe in him, and follow him. Let us respond to his invitation by eating his word, praying to him, and loving others as he loves us. This is the way to live a fulfilling and abundant life. This is the way to Eat - Pray - Love.

 

Is not this the carpenter? Mark 6:3

It is amusing to me that the people of Israel could not fathom the Son of God, prophet, priest and king would choose to come to earth as a carpenter’s son. It makes total sense to me! He could have chosen to come and grow up in any home or castle and he chose to come to earth and grow up in a humble and lowly carpenter’s home.

In the beginning he created, when he came to earth he continued to create and today he is still doing his creative work in us day by day. Creator or carpenter, Jesus’ desire is to create something of beauty and usefulness. Whether crafting something from a piece of wood or the heart and soul of a human being. His craftsmanship is superior to all, his skill is beyond compare and the quality of his workmanship beyond what we can comprehend.

But what does it mean to be a carpenter? The word carpenter can have different meanings depending on the context and the language. Here are some possible meanings:

• A carpenter is a craftsman or builder who works with wood, stone, metal or other materials. This is the most common meaning of the word in English and Greek . A carpenter can make furniture, houses, tools, sculptures and other objects.
• A carpenter is a title or metaphor for Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God and the Creator of all things. This is a meaning that is derived from the biblical passages that describe Jesus and his father Joseph as carpenters . Jesus is also called the carpenter in Mark 6:3 . Some Christians believe that this meaning reflects Jesus’ humility, creativity and skill as a worker and a teacher.
• A carpenter is a symbol or archetype for someone who shapes or transforms something or someone. This is a meaning that is based on the idea of carpentry as an art or a craft that involves making something new or better out of raw materials. A carpenter can be seen as a visionary, a leader, a healer, a mentor or a friend who helps others grow and change.

So when we think of Jesus as a carpenter, we can appreciate his many roles and attributes. He is not only our Savior and Lord, but also our Creator and Builder. He is not only our Teacher and Master, but also our Friend and Mentor. He is not only our Healer and Redeemer, but also our Transformer and Shaper.

I am grateful God is not finished with me yet! He is still working on me, making me more like him every day. He is still using his tools of grace, love, mercy and truth to carve out my character and destiny. He is still creating something beautiful and useful out of my life.

Are you grateful too? Do you see yourself as God’s masterpiece? Do you trust him to finish what he started in you? 

I hope you have a blessed day! 🙏