Nov 08 – UNTIL DEATH

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)

You need to remain true and faithful before God – not just for a day or two, but for your entire life. If you remain faithful to God, until your death, then you will inherit the eternal blessings of the Lord.

There were immense tribulations for Smyrna, one of the early Churches. The Roman Government of those days had passed a law that everyone should bow down only to the Roman Empire and not worship any other god. And all those who did not accept that law, were cruelly tortured. And the Lord promised the crown life as the promise to comfort that Church, which was going through such immense tribulations.

Dear children of God, you may also be going through the path of tribulation. Maybe you are overlooked in your workplace, just because you are a Christian, You may also be surrounded griefs, sorrows and shame, just because of your faith.

Even in the midst of all your trials, you should remain faithful to the Lord. You cannot resort to any sinful action just to overcome your poverty. It will never be a right solution to resort to wrongful means or shortcuts, to overcome your scarcity.

Look at Daniel. He was determined in his heart to be faithful until death. In those days, the Babylonian empire was against the Jewish community. A royal decree was passed, that whoever petitions to any god or man for thirty days, except to the King shall be cast into the den of lions. Even when there was a royal statute was passed, Daniel was not afraid of that. Instead, he worshipped and prayed to the only true God, from his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, three times a day, as was his custom since his early days.

As a result, Daniel was to be thrown into the den of lions. But Daniel was not at all afraid. Even in the face of death, he decided to remain faithful to God, until death. God was greatly delighted by that determination, and bound the mouths of the lionsand exalted Daniel.

Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They were determined in their hearts not to worship the golden image set by the King, even if it meant cruel death by being cast into the midst of fiery furnace. Even in such a dire situation, they stood strongly in their faith placing all their hope in God. And the Lord walked among them in the midst of fire and He saved them and exalted them.

Dear children of God, if you are determined to be faithful and true to God, He will be with you, protect you, bless you and exalt you.

Verse for further meditation: Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. (Hebrews 11:35)