Contemporary Psalms

12-28-13

Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen...

Book of Revelations 18:2

God, it is a hard thing to hear You say, "Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins and receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." You tell us, God, that she has a mixture in her cup and that she has glorified herself and has lived luxuriously. This is US, LORD, us. And next You say that Your judgment will come in one hour, and the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for in one hour no one will buy their merchandise anymore. It is a hard thing, this picture of such great riches coming to naught -- indeed to nothing (Rev 18:1-18). As we wait, this is what You say to do:

• Speak each man the truth to his neighbor
• Give judgment in our gates for truth, justice, and peace
• Let none think evil in his heart against a neighbor
• Do not love a false oath

You, LORD GOD, will blow the trumpet and save us in that day and save those who are like jewels in Your crown... (Zechariah 8-9:16). Therefore, Father, in Christ and by Your Holy Spirit, I lift up my soul, my heart, my mind and my body, looking up to You at Who You Are: merciful yet holy. Meek yet mighty! Abundant in Your pursuit of each one whom You have made, in Your protection of us and Your provision for us. I thank You that Your name for us is "Mine."  I rejoice to be like a jewel in a crown, glorifying Jesus, my Savior and LORD! I am grateful that my purpose even now is not about me but Him. We who belong to the Lamb are waiting, hoping expectantly, listening for the blast of the Your trumpet to free us into the fullness of Fullness of Life in the heavenlies. I thank You my friend Veronica is with You now, fully there. What a gift it is to know that I know she is there. Free at last! I sorrow for such sudden loss, but I rejoice over the gorgeous work she expressed here on earth, and I thank You for the encouragement she so freely gave to others, including me. Please tell her, LORD, that I love her and will be there in the Morning. I hope, in mere moments, I hope!

We hope! With our natural senses, this Babylon has gone made and we are horrified and frightened. But in Your Spirit, we know we are helpless to stop the downward spiral, the devolution. And we remember that You have told us: in mere moments, all will be well. I pray we will be ready and not standing there with our lanterns empty. May we be vigilant in keeping Your oil in our lamps so we can to walk according to Your Light -- one step at a time, one day at a time -- always ready, for You have named each one of us "Mine." Let those who have ears hear You calling, "Come out of her, My people..."

This post is based on The Book of Revelations 18 and Zechariah 8-9. The above painting, by artist Claudia Wood Rahm, is entitled Living Stones.