A Smile In The Midst Of Sadness - The One Year Sweet and Simple Moments with God Devotional

I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”

Revelation 14:13

Yes, Lord, I am writing this down! (Please note that the exclamation point in the verse above wasn’t added by me—it’s part of Scripture!)

In the very first verse of the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, Jesus Christ dictates to His best friend, John: “This is a revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place.”

This entire book is a dramatic end to all the events in the Bible that precede it. But even more exciting, it’s an introduction of the times to come. I don’t think any of us—or even the best Bible scholar—will ever unravel what all of this prophetic book’s mysterious events mean until they actually take place. That in itself should spark hope within us because Jesus is planning much more for His followers—this life isn’t all there is. When a loved one dies, the loss is painful, but if that person was a believer, we can be comforted that the loss isn’t permanent.

Bible scholars interpret the events in Revelation in a variety of ways. Regardless of all the different views concerning its message, most of them agree on some practical promises and warnings to all of us. I especially love the comforting promise of today’s verse, since I have family members who believed in Christ and are now with the Lord. They are “blessed indeed,” resting from their hard work, and their good deeds are following them.

Revelation’s message is one of forever hope beyond temporary sadness. God didn’t have to clue us in to His plans, but in His loving-kindness He did. He wants us to hold on to hope in Him while things are difficult here. It is yet another reason we can smile at the future in the midst of the sad things we experience.

Christ is triumphant over death! This life isn’t all there is. Read the apostle Paul’s encouraging words about Jesus’ return in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.