Week of 2 Advent, Tuesday

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

The writer of the Revelation to John does his best to describe the vision of Christ appearing to him in the midst of seven golden lampstands, clothed in white wool, and dazzling, holding stars in his hand and with a two-bladed sword coming from his mouth. We've entered richly symbolic terrritory here, and Christians for centuries have searched the words of Revelation for clues and dates and details.

At an emotional level, though, John is also describing the inward response to Christ's presence in our lives -- it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. "I come not to bring peace, but a sword," Jesus said, and if we weren't dazzled by his appearance, we might be cut by the sword in his mouth.

"The Word of God is living and active," we read in Hebrews, "sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb. 4:12).

When we allow the Word to enter our lives, we have to prepare ourselves for the inevitable piercing and paring that will result. Even if we are longtime readers of Scripture, familiar with the story, we must remain open to the possibility that the Word will speak to us in a new way today, and that what we hear may not be comfortable.

Being open to the truth as we discover it each day is a hallmark of many disciplines in our world -- I think of the evolutionary biologists with whom I used to work at the Field Museum in Chicago, or the hospital staff using our software today who learn where it is they need to improve their processes. Embracing a new revelation calls for integrity to deal with the new data rather than running from it into comfortable certainties.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but Lord Jesus, quickly come!