“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
—Revelation 1:9
John is the human author of the Revelation. And since his most famous book had been written, it had been sixty years since John the Disciple had seen Jesus after the resurrection and ascension. When he wrote the Book of Revelation, you would think it was time to check into the retirement home and have a nice rocking chair into heaven. But that’s not true for John.
Despite his age and faithfulness, John was exiled, banished, and persecuted for his faith on this Isle of Patmos, a place of extreme depravation and desperation.
Maybe you’ve discovered that you’re on a personal Patmos journey; that you are lonely, limited, and isolated. You may be living on an island of an unhappy marriage or the island of an unhealthy body, and shut out from family and friends. Perhaps you are persecuted for the sake of the Gospel.
The Bible says all who live in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And there should be at least opposition if we’re standing firm in our faith for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yes, there is tribulation but we are not alone on our personal island of Patmos! You may be in a hospital room or a nursing home. You may be in prison. You may be old and tired and feeling like the whole world has forgotten you. But you are not alone if you are in Jesus.
In our greatest trials we know that God comes very near, and we can experience His presence like never before!
