An Island in the Sun

An island in the sun . . .

a place and time to kick back
enjoy some R&R.
Not a bad thing . . .
I could have used some island time
several times in the past 8 weeks
and not because of the snow!
But I wonder . . .
why is my first thought often to run
to a “place” instead of
to Jesus
for rest and refreshing?

Anyway . . .
John was on the island of Patmos
and not for a vacation!
John didn’t go there by choice
he could not fly home
when he was done in the sun.
He had been exiled . . .
banished
deported
cast out . . .
to the island of Patmos
isolated . . .
Patmos was his prison.
Why?
For preaching the Word of God!

Did John sit down in the sand
feel sorry for himself?
No
No one and no prison
could stop John
from being with God.
“It was the Lord’s Day,
and I was worshipping in the Spirit.”
I can imagine John walking
up and down the beach
hands in the air
praying
worshipping the Lord.

Suddenly,
a voice sounding like a trumpet blast!
Turning to see who was speaking to him,
he saw the Son of Man
whose first words to John were,
“Don’t be afraid!”

There are a lot of “suddenlys” and
“don’t be afraids” in the Bible!

Ever feel deported, cast out,
on an island . . .
isolated by circumstances
separated against your will?

If we will choose to worship God
in, not for,
the situations
and seek Him . . .
God will show up . . .
just as He did to John . . .
God is not a respecter of persons

Nothing and no one
can stop God or
separate us from God . . .
only us.
The choice is ours!