Revelation 7:16–17: “They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

August 31st, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

For believers currently suffering in any way, in any place, these words offer great hope and expectation. There is a day coming soon when we will no longer hunger or thirst for more. A day when we will no longer battle against the forces of evil affecting every person; when we will finally be truly free from striving in this world. There will no longer be any reason for crying except for joy. We will be liberated both inside and out, including from memories of guilt, frustration, disappointment, and failure. What a day that will be when there are neither hospitals nor graves. The Bible calls it various names, including heaven, the New Jerusalem, home, and the city whose builder and maker is God (Heb. 11:10). We have much to look forward to, but we are to remain occupied in this land until He comes.

German Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer took a solid and ultimately deadly stand against Adolf Hitler during WWII. Even when he was thrown in prison for his opposition, it didn’t deter him from speaking against Hilter and calling others to do so as well. Because of the horrible atrocities and world-wide chaos that resulted from Hitler’s regime, many Christians believed he was the Antichrist and that Jesus was coming back any day; so much so that they couldn’t understand why Bonhoeffer, to his own detriment, was opposing him. Bonehoeffer responded, “If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished.”

“LORD, give us strength to serve You well this day and the next, until You return.”