Epic battles - November 8, 2023
Today’s Readings:
AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96
Neh. 13:4-22; Rev. 12:1-12; Matt. 13:53-58
Do you ever feel like sitting down – not exhaling with great satisfaction and accomplishment but throwing your hands up in the air and saying, “I. Am. Done.” After pouring out heart, soul, and energy into a project, relationship, or even a piece of art, it does not look like there is any forward movement. Maybe things are even messier than when the day started. And sometimes, it feels like the crumbling progressively gets worse. What a low, hard place we find ourselves at points in our lives.
Reading the 12th chapter of the Revelation to John reminds me of such tailspin times. John of Patmos presents vivid, apocalyptical images in a great reckoning: portents, or omens, of changes ahead – a woman of divinity, clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, and an enormous red dragon with multiple horns and heads – clash in battle. Divine promise meets evil. The woman births a son, who is whisked away to God for protection. She flees to the wilderness to recuperate. Celestial war breaks out and the archangel Michael and his angels fight the mighty dragon. The dragon loses and is thrown down to earth. And then, there is a loud voice in heaven that proclaims that God’s power is supreme over the devil and warns those upon the earth, “woe to the earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Rev. 12:12b) As that ominous dragon writhes, I can see the destructive tail creating chaos and disruption with each sweep.
What we miss if we only read the first twelve verses of Revelation 12 is what happens to the woman – that reminder of divine creation, humanity, and resilience. As the dragon wreaks havoc on earth and pursues the woman, she is transformed. The arms that would have held her newborn son are now wings of a great eagle; she can escape evil and go to a place of restoration and healing in the wilderness. Though the dragon tries to harm the woman, the earth protects her. Frustrated, the dragon moves on to torment others.
The Revelation to John is a lot on an early morning in November, and yet, the imagery of the epic battle is compelling. We see ourselves and those around us in these characters: those who do the bidding of the dragon, disrupting and breaking spaces of beauty and hope; those wearied and pursued by evil; and those transformed by sacrifice and equipped with new wings to move into safer environments.
This scripture highlights for me the age-old chasm between the life God wants for us and the existence that we inhabit. Sometimes it is hard to bridge the gap between the two. There are days when it feels like the bad stuff just will not stop and we do not know what to do. When you find yourself here, reach out. Reach out to God in prayer. Reach out to friends – not just to get a cup of coffee, but to pray for you fervently. Reach out to the Bible and read the psalms that offer words of solidarity, direction, and faithfulness. Reach out to the church, so that we may accompany you in these times of darkness and peril.
With prayers for you this day,
Katherine+
Questions for Self-Reflection and Daily Challenge:
Who is it that you call to help in times of need? What prayers or songs come to mind?
If you are unsure of how to answer, when you are in a healthy space, pray for God to guide you. Then, take note of people who encourage or center you. Write down songs and prayers that are meaningful. Keep them in a special place, so that if you find yourself in a low or painful time, you have already prepared a "toolkit" to support you.