Reflection on Revelation 22:1-5

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life," chapter 22 begins.

The river flows from the throne of God and the Lamb--that's the source. And it flows right through the middle of the street of the city. What begins with God sustains the world.

On either side of the river is the tree of life.

This tree has leaves for the healing of the nations. The word "nations" means that the healing is not just for us insiders, but that is for them too.

I found an April 1999 Interpretation that had survived at least three moves. In it, Gail A. Ricciuti writes about Revelation 21:22-22:5 in the section, Between Text and Sermon.

I hope you also can find a copy and read her entire article. Here's an excerpt:

The end of things will come not by a cosmic catastrophe but a revealing, not from the worst we can imagine, but from the best we dare to hope. The psalmist records that it was by the rivers of Babylon we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion (Psalm 137:1). But whereas the rivers of Babylon represented exile, John's river-vision is of a homecoming....

Rome's power proves no match for the Power embodied in the River flowing from the throne of the God-Lamb, and the Tree rooted by those waters. The ultimate triumph of God is best imagined, paradoxically, in the organic, ecological realm, which proves at last enduring and indestructible in a way that all the the earthly powers were not. The final assurance we are given that God will preside over the end of history as over the beginning of creation, and really preside over it so much as dwell within it....

The final denouement is not a threat but an invitation to us, as inheritors of a blessed future, to begin to build on earth the reality toward which our hope reaches out!

A New Way of Life, a Reflection on Revelation 21:10, 22-27

Think about the city you are living in now. Are there designated places to go to worship? Think about your neighborhood. Does it have walls around it, a gate to let in pre-approved people? Some cities and some neighborhoods are like this.

And then there's the new city described in the book of Revelation.

No temple. We won't need some special, set-aside place to go to worship God. God will be present to us wherever we are.

No shut gates. We won't need a barrier to keep out folks not like us. People from all nations will come in, and bring with them gifts to benefit our lives.

Further, we won't even need street lights, because the glory of God the Almighty will provide all the light we need through the Lamb as our lamp. (Also see Isaiah 60:19-20; Zechariah 14:7.) My own imagination limits my ability to understand this one other than metaphorically.)

Instead of a special place to worship God, the whole city is infused, illuminated, and open.

Yet, not completely accessible. (Also see Isaiah 35:8-9).

Blessings a Reflection on Psalm 67

When reading or hearing other people's prayers, I sometimes find myself wondering: How honestly can I pray this prayer? Do I really want God to grant this particular petition?

My reservations may be based on whether I think God would want to do what we are asking or they may be based on whether I myself really want it.

This psalm, for example. I'm OK with the prayer asking for God's grace and presence. I'm OK with everybody knowing and praising God.

But, what if the way that God shines on them over there is through my actions? Just how is God's way made known anyway? Am I supposed to be demonstrating it? Whereas I can be sincerely grateful that the earth has yielded its increase, that I am fully aware that God has blessed us, can I also be as sincere and aware of my part in ensuring that these blessings are extended to all the ends of the earth?

Lydia, a Reflection on Acts 16:13-15

They had been traveling through what we now call northern Greece for several days. Looking for a place of prayer (the text might mean what we call a synagogue), they went outside the city. They found a group of women gathered for prayer.

One of the women was Lydia, a businesswoman. We are told she is a worshipper of God.

We read, "The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul." She and her household responded by becoming baptized. She then invited Paul and the other travelers to stay in her home.

Paul responded to a vision. Lydia responded to a vision.

In his trip to a new place, Paul accepts an offer of hospitality from a woman.

Gospel goes to Europe, a Reflection on Acts 16:9-12

"During the night Paul had a vision, " Come over to Macedonia and help us."

Throughout the Bible, God has come to designated people through a vision--Abraham, Jacob, Samuel, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others. They usually responded (I'm saying "usually" but I think "always" might be true, but I don't want to look it up right now.

Paul immediately responds to the vision. He and his companions set sail immediately.

So begins the entry of the gospel story into Europe. I'm pausing here to imagine what Christianity would have been like if Paul had ignored this vision or, more importantly, what Europe would have been like.

We still are called to take the story into new places--let's be metaphorical here. Think about the Macedonias in our world, ones that don't require a long boatride, places with people who aren't like us, people we don't know, people who need the help of the church.

Tangent: Even after reading commentaries, I don't know what the significance of the change from 3rd person to 1st person means. Other 1st person sections in the narrative are 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:12-28:16).

A Methodist View on Immigration

UMW march for immigrant rights

Peace, a Reflection on John 14:27-29

If I could say it better, I would. But, I can't. So I'm quoting Gail O'Day and Susan Hylen's commentary on John:

In the Old Testament, "peace" was a conventional leave-taking. That meaning is surely appropriate here, but again Jesus' words also have another meaning. The "peace" Jesus gives carries the weight of the Old Testament understanding of God's profound and abiding presence (see Isa 52:7; 54:10; Ezek 37:26-28; Zech 9:10).

This peace is now available in Jesus. This is not the world's peace, nor does it imply that everything shall go smoothly for Jesus' followers, who are instructed not to be afraid....Jesus' peace is a gift for disciples who live in a troubling world.

Pain and loss may always be present with us, but they are never the last word.

Then and Still Now, a Reflection on John 14:23-26

In chapter 13, they share their last supper together. Jesus tells them that he is leaving them. In chapter 18, he is arrested and put on trial.

Between these events, John's gospel records for us what we may call his farewell discourse. They ask him questions about matters they are concerned about, and Jesus imparts consolations, warnings, and instructions.

He addresses their concerns, but he is also speaking to us about our concerns, our experiences, our needs, and our obligations.

This is a Bible thing to do. Look back at Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 11:1-8, 13. Moses is saying good by and telling them what to do after he is gone. Faithful people of generations after those wilderness wanderers continued to heed Moses' words. It's not just crossing over the river and you're home--it's living in that home the way God intended. Always was. Still is. Always will be.

In the passage from John that we are looking at today, Jesus emphasizes and entwines love and obedience. "Those who love me will keep my word" and "Whoever does not love me does not keep my word." He's said this before; e.g., 13:34-35; 14:15.

Also entwined with love is presence. In verse 22, one of his followers had asked why Jesus had revealed himself to only the few of them rather than more generally. In verse 23, we have his response, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

Our showing love to each other enables us to recognize the love we are receiving.

We today are still able to hear the words of Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit of God--our Advocate and Teacher-- continues to remind us of all that Jesus said to them and so continues to say to us.

Don't Keep It to Yourself, a Reflection on Revelation 21:5-6

"God is coming here to live with you and to take care of you," the vision imparted to him.

The good news was not his to keep alone. After he had been told about the new earth, about the end of turmoil, and the assurance of God's presence and care, John is then given the command to tell about it.

God said to this long ago witness, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true. It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."

We hear the good news, we become part of the good news, we share what we know, what we have been told, what has been done for us. We share by telling and by doing. Through us, God can continue to give water to the thirsty--both literally and metaphorically.

The Home of God, a Reflection on Revelation 21:1-4

The reading from John's Gospel this week quoted Jesus' words to his loyal disciples, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him." He then instructed them to love one another--"That's how somebody will know that you are one of my disciples, by the love you have for one another."

The reading from Acts reminds us that the Christian love we have and demonstrate is not restricted to a very small group. The Holy Spirit can fall on people that we might not have thought appropriate for that gift. We are left to ponder whether the Holy Spirit is still doing that, left to ponder whether we should voice Peter's words, "If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"

Psalm 148 is more explicit in its inclusivity. Everybody, everything praise the Lord. Nature, sun, moon, stars, fire, hail, snow, all animals, all people--all praise the Lord.

Themes from these readings extend into the passage from Revelation. John envisions a new heaven and a new earth. Things are now different from the way they were; moreover, they are different because God has said so. Furthermore, in this new way of things, God will continue to be in our midst. God will continue to care for us.

Every day, several times a day, we face temptations to bow to the demands of the society around us. We, of course, care about assuring and protecting our own security. But, if we are Christians, since we are Christians, we have to take up residency in this new earth, one with tribes from every nation, everybody speaking different languages. We are all there together, all worshipping God.

Where once heaven and earth seemed so far apart, so separate, now, in Christ, we see heaven coming down to us. Where once we thought of God as far away, so separate, now, we experience God's presence right here, right now.