7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
My sense is that God is speaking to me once again about my identity. He is telling me to ‘hold on to what I have’ – Jesus Christ – and all that Jesus means for my relationship with God. Christ gives me my identity as a beloved child of God the Father and He gives me my place in the kingdom as a prince of God the King.
So I think God wants me to ‘hold on to what I have’ by intentionally thanking Him that I am His beloved child and a prince of His kingdom three times a day for the forty days leading up to Easter.
Father, help me to hold on to Jesus so that I never forget that I am Your beloved child. AMEN
Mike McCoy, Pastor
Hills Vineyard Christian Fellowship – Concord
I love passages like this, ones that reaffirm my identity and tell me that no one can take it away. The world constantly tells me I am someone or something else, and sometimes I am even tempted to believe it, at least superficially. But I know who I am, even if I have to be reminded once in a while. So my response to Jesus’ reminder is–thank you!!
He sees my “little strength” and says: The call is good. The covenant is good. You are not going to miss it–no one can shut that door. He sees my desires, my deeds, and my obedience and how I’ve stayed true to the pursuit and steadfast in upholding His name.
“He who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says…”
Today I will take a step back, and see…hear…rest…relax