Revelation 4:1, ” After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: …”
In today’s world, a child of God may easily become discouraged while looking out at the continual moral decline. My son and I were talking the other day and he said, “Daddy, I know the Bible said it will get worse, but I didn’t think it would get this bad this fast.” And yes, the Bible teaches us in 2 Timothy 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” but it still drags down our happiness of heart to think about the present and future of our land.
We may become discouraged when we look within and remember our often failures and short comings. The devil is glad to stir up your thoughts of remembrance about those times you fail to walk with God as you should. The continual remembrance of those things can cause even the strong to become faint. Oh how I long to do better, but the body of this flesh is very difficult to carry. Paul would say in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.”
And then we may look at the Church with a carnal eye and only be able to view the mishaps and mistakes of the congregation. The Lord’s Church is perfect, but us who are members are not, and we often fail to be what the gospel of Jesus Christ calls on us to be. John had just finished viewing the good and the bad of the seven Churches of Asia. The Lord’s servant longs to see the good of Zion, but because of our own failures, and not the Lord’s, the church often suffers.
In our study verse, John is called to “Come up hither” and view something higher than this world. With this experience John would be encouraged and strengthened concerning his temporal service to God. Isaiah 40:30-31, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall uttery fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Dear child of grace, If you are discouraged by the present circumstances of this life, then with an eye of faith look beyond the natural and fix your eyes on the Lord’s glory; His beauty, perfection and grandeur. Meditate upon what He has done for you, His power to do for you, and the mansion He has built for His children in heaven. John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled,” trust and hope in God. His grace never fails. He is true and will not break His promise to come and take you home to heaven where thousands upon thousands are singing His glory even today. Revelation 4:11, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Amen!