When God's Wrath Is Your Comfort

A great pearl from John Piper that help us focus on the One who rights the wrongs:

"All of you have been wronged at one time or another. Most of you, probably, have been wronged seriously by someone who has never apologized or done anything sufficient to make it right. And one of the deep hindrances to your letting that hurt and bitterness go is the conviction — the justified conviction — that justice should be done, that the fabric of the universe will unravel if people can just get away with horrible wrongs and deceive everyone. That is one of the hindrances to forgiveness and letting grudges go. It’s not the only one. We have our own sin to deal with. But it is a real one. We feel that just to let it go would be to admit that justice simply won’t be done. And we can’t do it. So we hold on to anger, and play the story over and over again with the feelings: It shouldn’t have happened; it shouldn’t have happened; it was wrong; it was wrong. How can he be so happy now when I am so miserable? It is so wrong. It is so wrong!

This word in Romans 12:19 is given to you today by God to lift that burden from you. “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.” What does this mean for you? Laying down the burden of anger, laying down the practice of nursing your hurt with feelings of being wronged — laying that down — does not mean there was no great wrong against you. It does not mean there is no justice. It does not mean you will not be vindicated. It does not mean they just got away with it. No.

It means, when you lay down the burden of vengeance, God will pick it up.

This is not a subtle way of getting revenge. This is a way of giving vengeance to the one to whom it belongs. It is taking a deep breath, perhaps for the first time in decades, and feeling like now at last you may be free to love. I long so much for you to know the freedom to love."

Prophecy For Right Now

Revelation 2 and 3 comprise the letters to the seven churches. In these chapters, we find things the churches were commended for and things for which the Lord rebuked them. We find solutions for the problems they faced and encouragement for their faithfulness.

In the letters to the seven churches, we also find out a great deal about our Savior. Jesus know us personally; he knows our works and he knows the difficulties we have faced (2:2-3). He hates those who spread false doctrine and false prophecy (v.6). He is the One who existed from the beginning and will last until the end; the One who defeated death and came to life (v.8). He promises reward to those who persevere (v.10) He is the One who holds the truth that cuts through the lies of the enemy (v.12). He is patient with sinners, but will ultimately punish the unrepentant (v. 20-23). The Lord also sees through our vain attempts to look spiritual (3:1-3) and is actually even more appalled by lukewarm faith, than no faith at all (v.15-17).

To the faithful, he promises everlasting life and promises to be our advocate to the Father (v.5). He promises the faithful will be spared from future judgment (v.10). He urges us to repent of our sins and he will shape us into his image (v.19). But best of all, our Lord promises that if we respond to him, He will have a personal relationship with us and allow us to share in his Kingdom rule (v.20-21).