“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and (I am) the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’” Rev. 1:17-18
Reading back over Revelation this morning these four words—“Fear not, I am…” stuck out as a reminder that Jesus is the great “I am” and this is the One we will ultimately see “face to face”. WE see these words or words similar throughout the Bible but specifically in the Gospels. We think of the great “I am” statements in John but we will encounter yet another one in Mark this week. “Take heart, I am! Do not be afraid!” (Mark 6: 50). These words ought to carry us through this week as we encounter whatever God has for us and this ought to encourage and strengthen us eventually all the way into the new heaven and new earth.
Think about this a minute, if He had only said, “Fear not,” the “onus” might fall on us to overcome feelings of vulnerability, threat, and anxiety on our own. But His “I am” changes everything—literally. All we need today, and all the way Home, is Jesus. Our fears are real… BUT…He says, “I am the first and the last, and (I am) the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore…” so that though we die in Christ, and are gathered to our fathers and mothers, we will live with Him forever.
No less than John experienced it, we can be certain that His right hand is on us as well. Even more so, we are IN His hand. No one and nothing can snatch us from His most mighty and merciful grasp, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28). The same hand that created the cosmos and sustains every atom, opened blind eyes and expelled evil spirits—that same hand was nailed to the cross, for us, and it is this hand that sustains to eternity. Being in Jesus’ hand means we are also in His heart. Before the foundations of the earth we were chosen in love and adopted into His forever family. (Eph. 1:4-5)
There is no greater love than the love He demonstrated on the cross, and no greater love than He has for us now…a love that we are to live in and share, “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16). Secure in His hand, and hidden in His heart, we begin this week trusting Him, loving Him, serving Him—longing more than ever for His return.
God Bless y’all.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
