Here and Now...There and Then

Have you ever done something knowing it would be good for you, but all the while feeling your stomach turn? Your hands are trembling and your palms are sweaty. You keep taking deep breaths hoping that your body will calm down. That was me a couple of months ago as I began leading a group of ladies through "Here and Now...There and Then." It's a lecture series on Revelation by Beth Moore.

Now I know that any time spent in God's Word will be good for me, but I was a wreck with worry over this particular one. My friend, Kelli, and I lead this community group together. We decided last summer that Revelation was what God was calling us to offer this Fall. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I had never led any Bible study on Revelation. Frankly in the 20+ years of teaching and leading Bible studies, I never wanted to. It scared me and made me quite uncomfortable. There was just too much that I didn't know or understand. Too many questions and a lot of "I don't knows."

God had a different plan. We had been praying for God to bring new ladies to our group; ladies who weren't in a Bible study anywhere. And He did, of course He did! I think this was the biggest group we've ever had and I didn't know the majority of them. Funny how God does that. I had seriously sweaty palms now, but we were already committed. So we started and to paraphrase a famous movie line, "He had me at Hello."

Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near."

After reading that verse I was no longer afraid, but ready to receive all that God wanted to teach me and show me through this series. Even if it meant having more "I don't knows" to say, I wanted to read and hear every word of Revelation. So I dug my heels in and went through every chapter. Rest assured I have seriously more questions than answers now. But that's o-k, because I also have a bigger picture of who Jesus is now.

In the final chapter Jesus calls himself the "Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." He began all this and He will one day end all of this. However, what struck me the most was from the beginning of Revelation to the end, He fights for us. Jesus is our Advocate-from creation to the completion of His Kingdom, He's fighting for us. Nothing that happens in my life or yours occurs without His knowledge. He's our one true Advocate, here and now, there and then.

Ever wanted to study Revelation? Go ahead, get your blessing. I got mine!