In the book of Revelation (2:2-3) The Message to Ephesus (Amplified)
“2 ‘I know [b]your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors; 3 and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]”
Revelation 2:2-3
As authors, God is saying that He knows our deeds and toil in packaging His message through us in books. The long hours of writing, beating writer’s block and the hustle of publishing. He knows the toil of looking for provision to make the book happen! After all this toil, then comes the endurance that we have to embrace as the book penetrates the market and gets into our readers’ hands. Some of us have not experienced the return on investment yet months and years after the launch – and it can get very discouraging.
When you see non-believers or those who pretend to be believers get their books out with a misleading or hyped message and it sells like hot cake, we can get discouraged. But we have to remain faithful to the message God gave us and deliver it as He said. I like the ending of verse three – Jesus says to Ephesus, you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]. My prayer for all Christian authors is that we may endure patiently and bear up for His name’s sake and not grow weary.
Verse 4-5
“4 But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. 5 So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent”
Revelations 2:4-5
This is what the Lord has against us. That we have left the first love. The world has a very subtle lure to its ways of doing things. But today Jesus is calling us back to remind ourselves why we started writing for Him in the first place. Go back to that initial conversation when you felt the nudge to write as a calling – what did God tell you? Remind yourself this morning and go back to that place.
Conclusion
I pray that we will be charged afresh. I pray that the fire of God for our writing would be lit afresh. For His glory alone. And His promise in verse 7 is reassuring us of what is ahead of us.
To him who [d]overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’
Revelations 2:7
May this be us all the time! Blessings to us all and let’s keep trying!
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