Devotion • November 5
Today’s Scripture Reading
Revelation 21:22–22:5
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (NRSV)
Reflection
When my youngest daughter was about four years old, she once spent the entirety of her brother’s little league baseball game sitting in the bleachers playing with a pencil and a string. For those uninitiated to the ways of little league baseball, this is about a bazillion hours of imaginative play. She spent the time waving the pencil and string, attaching them together and forming shapes, talking to imaginary playmates, and monologuing to non-existent crowds. She was creating a world that didn’t exist outside of her mind. It was astounding for the adults watching her.
We were fascinated because we couldn’t imagine creating such a captivating world. I think the longer we live and are faced with brutal reality, the less likely we imagine a world more engaging and beautiful. Maybe the writer of Revelation was doing just that — imagining something more beautiful than they had ever encountered.
Certainly, they had encountered a temple that was often corrupted by political infiltration, so they imagined a time when one wasn’t needed. They experienced gates closing out some folks, so they imagined a world of welcome. They knew of leaders who hoarded wealth, so they imagined a world where kings shared their bounty with the people. Even though the writer had never experienced such a world, they imagined something different.
Every once in a while, God allows us to experience God’s dream for the world — God’s kingdom right here on earth. Those encounters of goodness and beauty, of community and belonging are glimpses into a world we’ve never fully encountered but for which we still long. And when enough of us capture those glimpses, we can go to work bringing about God’s dream. If only we first imagine how it could be.
Prayer
Wildly imaginative God, open our eyes to see glimpses of your goodness. Then free our minds so we can imagine and create a world more akin to your dream. Amen.
Written by Andrea Denney, Executive Director of Operational Ministries
Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church
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