Lance asks what Jesus is doing in you through COVID-19.
And, Lance has the insight, and courage, to quote not only Revelation 3:20 but actually verse 19 along with verse 20.
So:
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
I think that it is rather counter-culture in a shepherd dominated church culture such as the CGGC to add very 19 to the mix. Shepherds are not really into rebuking.
Yet, verse 20 must be understood in its harsh context.
The love of Jesus is a vivid thing. When appropriate, Jesus does exactly as He says He does. He rebukes and disciplines the people He loves.
Consider the state of Western Christianity in recent generations. He's certainly not blessing the church in the West.
Isn't reasonable to think we're in a rebuke and discipline moment?
I think that we'd be well served to reflect seriously on verse 19 before we seek comfort in verse 20.
It was thinking these thoughts when I submitted the following comment to the moderator of the blog...I don't know who the moderator is these days but I'm hoping that the comment is published.
If not here it is:
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Lance,
Thank you for your quote from Revelation 3.
In light of the verse 19 part of your quote:
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent,”
I believe that a painful, yet necessary, place for us to begin these reflections is not with your question, “What is Jesus doing IN you through COVID-19?,” but with:
What is Jesus doing TO you…us…through COVID-19?
Since we agree that it’s true that Jesus rebukes and disciplines those whom He loves, I think we’d be missing an opportunity to be transparent about our relationship with Him if we refuse to spend serious moments meditating on the very real possibility that we are in the midst of a moment of God’s judgment.
If He’s rebuking us, for what? What act, or acts, does He demand of us?
About what must we in the Western church be ernest. How must we, as a body, and as individuals, repent?
The opening of the door described in verse 20 certainly must signify an attitude of ernest-ness followed by acts of repentance.
Western Christianity has been declining and decaying for some time. How can we not start by considering the question: What is Jesus doing TO us?
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