The One Who Is And Was And Is Coming

I spent some time this morning reading through the book of Revelation. It's the last book in the Bible written by the "beloved disciple" John. John has been exiled to the Isle of Patmos and there he receives this final revelation from God of what is to come for the world. In the first chapter of this letter of prophecy John writes about this God who is describing these things to him through an angel that has come to show him. John begins:

"Grace and peace to you from the One who is and was and is coming, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ. Jesus is the faithful witness, the first among those raise from the dead. He is the ruler fo the kings of the earth . He is the One who loves us, who made us free from out sins with the blood of his death. He made us to e a kingdom of priests who serve God his Father. To Jesus Christ be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen. Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds, and everyone will see him, even those who stabbed him. And all peoples of the earth will cry loudly because of him. Yes, this will happen! Amen. The Lord God says, "I am the aplpha and the Omega. I am the One who is and was and is coming. I am the Almighty."" (Revelation 1:4b-8 - NCV)

I love the way God describes himself as "the One who is and was and is coming". God has no boundaries. He is infinite and beyond anything I could type here in mere words. He is presently alive and existing as a God who is active in our lives. He didn't create us and dump us. He longs to have us know Him more deeply. He already knows us deeper than we know ourselves. He was, or always has existed. He has no time limits. Instead He is the beginning the Alpha of all things and only He can be the Omega or end of all things. And then the best part of all this is that He is coming again to start this world fresh with a new Heaven and a new Earth. He is coming. There is hope. Just as the Jews whispered of a coming Messiah we also, not needing to whisper, can shout to all that the Messiah is coming again.

How great is our God.