That Ah-ha Moment

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:5-8 ESV). That “Ah-ha moment” is that instant when you realize something for the first time; that flash of insight when your eyes are opened; that moment when you finally “get it.” We all have such “ah-ha” moments, hopefully many times throughout our lives. From time to time I watch the Food Channel. I like to see how various recipes are made. I am not a good cook, though there are a few recipes that I make well. My grandmother’s spaghetti sauce is one of those that is unmatched. It calls for fresh garlic. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I really never knew how to “peal” the garlic until recently. I saw one of the chefs on TV take a clove of garlic and separate it for mincing by using the flat side of the knife. It was so easy! I thought, “Why didn’t I know that before now?” It was a small ah-ah moment in my culinary experience! There are greater ah-ha moments that I have experienced. You’ve undoubtedly had those too. Perhaps the greatest of these comes when we realize that there is an end to all of this life with Jesus sitting on the throne in judgment of all men. Our reading today describes that event. It is essential that we all understand this truth. For those who have been called to eternal life through grace it is a moment of great vindication; however, for those who have continued in their sin and rebellion against God, it is a moment of great sadness and eternal damnation separated from God. When it comes to God, some people never get it. They see him as some vague force, or cosmic grandfather. For the Apostle John, however, God was overwhelmingly real. Words of joy explode off the pages of Scripture as the he contemplates the magnitude of God: strength, holiness, beauty, and majesty. On and on his declarations ring. For him, God is real and all creation shouts his praise. The end of this book and the Bible tells us that one day the Lord will return and he will judge the world with righteousness. Jesus said that at this judgment, God will separate the sheep from the goats (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). That will be the ultimate “ah-ha” moment. If you’ve never received his salvation, ask him for it now. Don’t be caught by surprise when he comes to judge the earth. That day may be much closer than anyone realizes.