Several years ago, my husband and I with our son, were visiting Oregon. As we walked along the beach beside the Pacific Ocean, I was struck by the constant roar of the Pacific. There was mist and rising out of the mist were the Sea Stacks remnants of volcanic blastings millions of years ago as huge rock formations were hurled toward the Pacific; their shapes forming over time by the force of the waves and wind. I couldn’t help but marvel over the sound of the Pacific and it’s steady roar.

I just started reading Revelation 1. In the first chapter is the description John gave of seeing Jesus. John was On the the Lord’s Day, in the Spirit. I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. v. 10,12-16.

John was very old when he was taken in spirit to “see” the resurrected Jesus in all His glory. Do we see Jesus that way? How can we? How did John react? When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” v. 17-18.

Walking on the beach of the Pacific Ocean I was amazed at everything I saw, felt, heard. I realized how very powerless I was compared with that power. The Sea Stacks stood testament to the power that hurled them in place; the constant roar and movement of the Pacific was thrilling and relentless; the mists prevented seeing anything further than their white boundary.

Imagine hearing Jesus’s voice in all it’s glory and power. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” v.8.

You shall have no other gods before me. Deuteronomy 5:7.

Do we have other “gods” before the true God? John was taken by the Spirit to the Lord’s Day. We live in a world where some would have us believe if we trust in them they will “make America great again”; there are some who think they can start a war because a country, Ukraine, doesn’t have the right to exist and they want absolute power; where people decide what is right and wrong and defend that with violence both verbal and physical. We stop believing in God so we turn away to our own desires and decisions and our own idea of who God is. We make God in our image, after our likeness. No wonder He seems so far away. We see into our own hearts and we don’t like what we see if we take the time to honestly look. It’s so much easier to blame others.

Look, he is coming with the clouds,” (Daniel 7:13) and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.” (Zechariah 12:10). So shall it be! Amen. v. 7.

We have John’s testimony and he was with Jesus for 3 years. He recognized Him in all His glory. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. v. 5-6.

How can I look to an imposter for direction? I have the true and living Lord and Savior with hair like wool, white as snow, eyes like blazing fire, feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, voice like the sound of rushing waters, face like the sun shining in all its brilliance. I have the One John testified to: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits (the sevenfold Spirit) before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. v. 1-5.