Dear People of God in America

      Once again, my daily devotional with Jim Cymbala strikes a chord that I am compelled to write about.   In Revelation 2:12-17  John pens the letter from Jesus to the church at Pergamum.  Pergamum was a great judicial center,  known as a wealthy city.  According to the Pulpit Commentary, Pergamum was famous for its idolatry because of its cluster of temples to  Zeus, Apollo, Athene, Dionysus, Aphrodite, and Aesculapius. 

In verse 13,  Jesus says “I know where you live,  where Satan has his throne.”   Cymbala points out the Satan is not omnipresent;  he cannot be everywhere at once.  He does have legions of minions who do his bidding, but he is only in one place at one time.  Apparently at this point in history,  he was working out of Pergamum.  It makes sense that he would have his “throne”  in places of great worldly influence,  a place of leadership in political, economic, and cultural influence.  Wherever he sets his throne,  it is characterized by policies against God’s kingdom and rule. 

It goes without saying where I think Satan has put his throne in 2021.  However,  I cling to what that verse says,  “I know where you live”.  Imagine,  Jesus knows where we live.  He doesn’t just know our physical location;  He knows where we breathe.    He sees every circumstance of our existence.  He knows why or why not we slept well last night.  He understands the victory or failure of getting  on the scales in the morning.  He’s watching as we stumble through the day. He heard the argument with your spouse,  the frustrated tone with your kids.   His heart felt every beat of yours. 

This Jesus who was and is and will be knows we live in an America that has changed drastically in the last five years.  He sees the evil as well as the good.  His plan for this country did not change on January 20.  The rest of His  message to Pergamum says, “Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me”    May that be said of us.

Thinkin’ about that today.