New Year's Devotional: "To Him who loves us & released us from our sins by His blood"

Grace to you and peace…from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6

…for now our salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:11

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free

From our fears and sins release us

Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation

Hope of all the earth Thou art

Dear Desire of every nation

Joy of every longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver

Born a child and yet a King

Born to reign in us forever

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone

By Thine all sufficient merit

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

CHARLES WESLEY

         The position they assigned to Him was superlative. They said with one voice, “To Him be the glory and the dominion until the ages of the ages.” An age of days is long, an age of years incomputable, but an age of ages is eternity; and it was their desire and belief that through uncounted eons, every star would shine, every jewel would flash, every wave break, every voice sing, and every creature live to promote the everlasting radiance of His crown, that it should embrace all beings, in all spheres, for all ages, without rival or successor; that the Man of Nazareth and Calvary should be the only Ruler; that the Lamb should be seated in the supreme place of authority—such was the confident expectation and the desire of the church as reflected here. But on what ground did the early believers base their estimate of our Savior’s superlative claims?  Whatever else might have been urged, this was their supreme consideration, that “He had loosed them from their sins by His own blood” (vs.5) This was His greatest contribution to the world’s need; and it was for this that they ascribed to Him, “blessings and honors and glory and might, unto the ages of the ages.”(Rev.7:12)

         Now is our salvation nearer then when we believed. Jesus is about to appear the second time unto salvation. The bodies of the saints are to be set free from the power of death, and raised in the likeness of the body of Christ’s glory: The creature is to be emancipated from the bondage of corruption; the last remains of Satan’s rule over our world are to be destroyed. The golden ages are to return. From the watchers and holy ones the song of redemption is yet to ascend: “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.”(Rev. 7:10)

F.B. MEYER

1847-1929