Wake Up and Wear White!
Day 345: Revelation 2:18-3:6
“The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” - Revelation 3:5 ESV
700 years before Jesus said these words, Sardis was one of the greatest cities in the world. The original city was situated upon a 1500-foot plateau, making it almost impenetrable (or so they thought). Their pride and lack of watchfulness led to their being conquered twice (Cyrus of Persia and then Antiochus IV Epiphanes).
The city also boasted of being the first place on earth to dye wool (yes, you can match that shirt with those shoes). This brought a lot of wealth into the city.
So it is no mistake that Jesus emphasizes two things:
“Wake up!”
“I clothe in white!”
Though most of the church in Sardis was dead, there were a few who were watchful and would be clothed in white. Jesus promises to confess their name before His Father (Matthew 10:32).
How about us?
Have we been lulled into apathy and sloth by the world around us when it comes to our faith?
Have we dirtied our clothes in exchange for temporary pleasures?
May we wake up and look forward to wearing white.
"Even in a congregation judged as dead, a few individuals have managed to stay alive and refused to be entangled in either the sin of the world or the apathy of a dying congregation." - Foster, L. (1989). Revelation: Unlocking the Scriptures for You (p. 54)