Psalm 146:1-7, Isaiah 30:27-31:9, Revelation 3:1-22 - Lectionary for 12/15/11

Today's readings are Psalm 146:1-7, Isaiah 30:27-31:9, and Revelation 3:1-22. The dark days have come. We see the kingdoms of this world falling in destruction. We see people trying to hide from the presence of our God, that presence which is a consuming fire, destroying all that is faithless. In our reading from Revelation we are confronted with our own faithlessness. We are called quite forcefully to repent and overcome. Yet how will we do that? What can we do, we who are sinful, we who are weak and weary? We do not have the strength to overcome. Even as God confronts us with his Law, see how by his Gospel he tells us that he will come to us, he will sit down with us to dine, he will make us conquerors in his name, as he himself has conquered sin and death on our behalf. How do we overcome? We overcome through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is of the Lord, not of our own ability. Let us therefore look to Jesus, the coming king, who will make us to sit with him on his throne.