December 24 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading:

Revelation 22:7-21

⁷Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
⁸And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
⁹Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.
¹⁰And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
¹¹He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
¹²And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
¹³I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
¹⁴Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
¹⁵For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
¹⁶I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
¹⁸For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
¹⁹And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
²⁰He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
²¹The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Devotional:

The Holy Spirit of God is holding forth to the world the invitation of the gospel—'Come!' The church, the bride, is holding forth to the world the invitation of the gospel—'Come!'

We read in Isaiah 55 about the water God freely gives. In John 7 the Saviour offers drink to the thirsty. Now we read of the waters flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Are there any who have been reading God's Word with us these months who have not yet drunk of this living water? Any husband? Any wife?

So much unimagined beauty in marriage and the family is opened up when both husband and wife are married to Christ. When we are in His church we are His bride. He makes our home new. A beautiful Christian home is not something we achieve by applying certain rules or by trying very hard to be sweet and kind. First, we ourselves need to be new creatures in Christ. Then, as we apply ourselves to His truth, His Spirit works not only in us as individuals but in our homes.

Oh, let us not think that our earthly homes will ever be perfect! Blessed and satisfying as they may be, they are still merely shadows of our heavenly home. Perfection and completion await the coming of our Saviour. So it is that not only do the Spirit and bride say 'Come!' to those out of the Way. Also, the bride looks forward to the advent of the Bridegroom and the consummation of all things. To Him she says, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus' (22:20).