Wednesday 14 December

Esther 9:1-10:3

Oooh that was a bit nasty.  I used to have a secret crush on Esther until she went and asked for that second day of reckless killing.  I could have stomached her asking for one day - but the second???  Like I said, I don’t really know what to do with this book.  But I guess the lesson from the life of Esther is that things that seem a bit nasty (like having an old king letch all over you) can end up being for your deliverance.  

Revelation 5:1-14

It’s all getting a bit undignified.  Angels are shouting in an impolitely-loud voice, John is weeping and weeping and the elders of the universe are completely forgetting their station and falling on their faces - did they learn nothing in Etiquette for Elders Finishing School??  And the one unleashing all this mayhem is a Lamb that looks like it has been slain.  It is Jesus - gentle Jesus all meek and mild.  Except now we see that Jesus is a flipping rock star.  He is The Flipping Rock Star.  All the celebrities and all the big-wigs of the universe have gathered together and even the awesomest among them, even the most high-flying, triple-first-ing, most-highly-promoted of them is mushing his face into the dirt in reckless abandon before the Jesus Lamb who was slain.  This is a vision of reality right here.  Never mind Newsnight.  Never mind I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here.  If we we really want to know where it is at, if we really want to get a glimpse of royal ruddy power then we need to flick off the television and get our face in Revelation 5.  This is the future.  And this is the present.  And this is the past.  Right here in pen and ink.  Every created thing.  Every cell and amoeba and donkey and water particle can’t help but freeze in permanent salute to the One who formed them.  Every angel and demon and any other spiritual thing cannot ultimately do anything other than acknowledge that Jesus is awesome, that Jesus is great, that Jesus is their boss.  People may deny it for a time.  Creation may groan against it for a while.  But one truth remains and on truth resounds.  Jesus is the Rock Star of the Universe.  And before him, we are not worthy.

Proverbs 30:11-23

One of the greatest tragedies in my life is my loss of wonder.  I want to be able to say that the way of an eagle in the sky is too amazing for me.