Page 54 - Living Light 91

Wed January 28 - God’s riches at Christ’s expense
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful
nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” Revelation 3:18
There is an old saying about ‘bringing coals to Newcastle’, meaning taking something to a place that already has it in abundance (Newcastle was once the great coal shipping port in the north-east of England). Perhaps they had a similar saying in the first century. It might have been a case of ‘bringing gold, woollen garments and eye ointment to Laodicea’, because the region was famous for all three. Nevertheless, the church was poor, unclothed and blind. Jesus advises them to buy from him and not from the marketplace, but of course Jesus is not actually asking for their money. True riches lie in Christ and not the marketplace. Jesus is offering the church all that they need, if only they would lay down their false wealth and place their trust in him. Grace is sometimes defined by the acronym ‘God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense’. He can give us abundantly more than we can ask or dream of because Christ has paid our debt on the cross.
This gospel would certainly have been preached to the Laodiceans, but sadly they have forgotten it. Attracted by the material wealth they see around them, they have forgotten the greater riches that Jesus offers. I live in Sheffield, a city famous for its steel knives; I wonder if Jesus would say that we have ‘lost our edge’? What might he write to your community that makes reference to your history?
Gracious Lord, may I never forget that true riches are found only in you. Amen.
Thursday January 29 - Rebuking and repenting
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.”
Revelation 3:19
When my younger son was little he had a habit of distractedly walking into roads. On one occasion he did so in front of a double-decker bus, which braked sharply just as I whisked him out of the way. I was furious with him and I’m sure he was far more upset at my shouting than the fact that he had nearly been squashed. He did, thankfully, learn his lesson!
I know that as a dad there have been times when I was unfairly cross with my children and I have certainly had to repent of being angry. But, like many parents, much of the time I have been cross in order to help my children grow into sensible and kind adults. Indifference in a parent is a far worse sin.
The Laodicean church must have been stunned into silence by the words that they heard. Spat out of Jesus’ mouth! Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind! But the letter is not without a crumb of comfort. Jesus does love them (v 19), and his words are not a sign of him abandoning them but of calling them back to him. Like children they too need to know where they have gone wrong, to turn back and earnestly repent. If they do that they will find Jesus ready and waiting for them.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Almighty God, when we have strayed from your love, call us back even if your words are tough, so that we may enjoy eternity in your presence. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY