Relationships

Immersing myself in the message to Laodicea from Revelation 3:14-22, I gradually comprehend its depth and importance. When a new facet of this message opens up to me, I experience joy and a desire to share all my newly acquired knowledge about the Book of Revelation. I have long understood that in this address to the people of the last time, every word is important. And the meaning of any statements is vitally necessary to understand.

Every reader needs to realize who Jesus is, who I am, what state I am in, where the way out of this state is, what the proposed goods mean, how long they are to be purchased, why the Lord is coming to me personally, who the victor is, and much more.

I discovered that the message to Laodicea is a small door to very great blessings, and accepting or rejecting this message will play a key role in my further spiritual growth.

The Faithful Witness in His counsel offers me relationships that will not only bring us closer but also change my perception of the people the Lord will send into my life.

When things are offered that can beautify my life, I decide how necessary they are to me, and then, weighing all the pros and cons, I acquire them or forget about them. But things do not change my character. They only help to improve my lifestyle.

In the country where I live, winter and summer sales are held every six months, during which many goods are marked down and sold at very large discounts. This mainly applies to clothing. Understanding that I don't need much, I decided not to pay attention to such events but to buy only what is truly necessary. But such sales promotions form a certain attitude toward things in my mind, and somewhere at a subconscious level, I come to the conclusion that it's better to wait for a discount and then buy several times more for the same money.

And when I hear that the Faithful Witness offers me something to purchase from Him, my consciousness immediately reacts habitually. And I think, "Let it sit, and when there's a discount, then I'll, well, buy something if I consider it necessary."

I'm not even interested in what exactly I'm advised to buy or what these goods mean. But I'm being offered relationships—not something superficial, but the most important, the best, and the eternal.

What do you think about when advised to buy gold, white clothing, and eye salve? If you don't know the spiritual meaning of these symbols, you associate them with something earthly that you can do without. After all, humans lived without this before. But what about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit? I think here anyone would pause to consider that such things cannot be rejected, as this would have sad consequences. Such an offer includes relationships that cannot be lost under any circumstances.

But what if relationships already exist? I'm growing, eating, reading, doing something, knowing the truth, and it sets me free. Isn't this enough, and do I need to acquire something special?

Let me give an example. Being a single person, I'm friends with many single sisters from the church whom I simply love like a brother. But then someone appears in my life whom I can no longer simply love but begin to experience special feelings for and pay special attention to. And there comes a moment when I make her a proposal that does not sound like a command, like a precept or a law. In such cases, respecting the freedom of another person plays an important role. I understand that my words might be misunderstood. Therefore, I decide to gift a symbol without any words: a small box with a gold ring. What is this? A beautiful decoration or a call to very close relationships? I think any woman raised in the Western world will understand the meaning of what is being offered. All that remains is to give consent or refusal.

Consent does not mean an immediate wedding but begins a special trade in relationships where we start discussing many things and depths we had not touched on before. We understand that now we conditionally belong to each other, and interesting discoveries and events await us. But even the conditionally future does not prevent us from immersing ourselves in each other and discussing those details of future relationships that we previously avoided. I open up as much as interest is shown to me. Amazing changes in relationships await us, and our future marriage will not be the end of our friendship but the beginning of new discoveries we did not even suspect.

Refusal of my proposal tells me that no close relationships with me are possible, and I should not even think in that direction. In essence, I offered nothing, just decided to gift a ring. But this symbol meant very much to me. I invested all of myself in it, my entire life, all my property, my interests and attachments, which I would be happy to share or could give up for a short "yes".

Jesus advises me to buy from Him what has great value in His eyes. In the proposed symbols, He Himself is invested, all of Heaven, all Heavenly perspectives. I am even afraid to diminish with my words the meaning expressed by the goods for Laodicea. But I know for sure that these are clearly not soulless things that will gather dust on a shelf in my house after purchase. And if we connect this message with the parable of the ten virgins from Matthew 25:1-12, it becomes clear that we are talking about the same oil, which symbolizes something that cannot be shared with others.

Can you transfer your relationships with Jesus to others? Will someone else's vessel contain all the depths of my sleepless nights, my joys, tears, and experiences? All this belongs only to me and my Heavenly Friend. Delving into the meaning of Laodicean symbols, I understand that I am being offered Jesus' hand and heart, and reading that the Lord will soon come for His bride, I understand that I can and should be that bride. But in the wedding proposal, there is no place for violence, intimidation, or pressure. And the proposal itself sounds like advice, a wise counsel calling to Eternal trade and equivalent exchange.

Selling Christ Himself implies payment, which is all of me. I don't think any groom would want only half of his bride, with the other half being used by friends or the world. He needs her entirely and forever.

If you imagine something different in the symbols of the Heavenly store, do not hurry to leave. The Lord does not drive anyone away from Himself. And the buyer is given the right to sit on Jesus' throne as a victorious warrior, so it is worth thinking about what victory is being discussed.

Relationships can be different, but they either exist or they do not. My short consent to further trade leads me to the next steps and consequences of my choice. By deciding to heed Jesus' counsel, I gain the right to special relationships with Him. He will reveal everything to me, show me, teach me, and hide nothing that I will need to receive and make my own.

My refusal leaves me in that miserable lukewarm state that will never change, although the forms of my service to God may have development dynamics and diversity.

The Lord does not just wish to sell me something, but He dreams of knowing me.

Reflection Questions for this Chapter

1. Please read John 3:16; 8:32; Isaiah 43:4; 54:5; 55:1-3; 61:10; 62:5; Proverbs 23:23; 1 John 4:16; Ephesians 3:14-19; 5:15-17,31-32; Jeremiah 3:1; 7:13 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. What did you like in this chapter?

4. What other Bible verses came to your mind?

5. Do you see a call to relationships in the message to Laodicea?

6. Are the goods to Laodicea similar to ornaments for Christ's bride?

7. What would trading with Jesus be like without relationships and mutual love?

8. Do you understand what the Lord is hinting at in His counsel to buy Heavenly goods from Him?

9. Do you think if I decide to love Jesus and do everything He advises me, will He respond in kind?

10. Can I count on close relationships with God if I bypass His invitation to mutual trade and find other, better paths?

11. Will Jesus sell me something that is uninteresting and unnecessary to me?

12. Why does the Lord not name the price for His goods?

13. Do the lessons of this book reveal the depth of the message to Laodicea? If yes, what have you learned during this time of study? Has something new and important been revealed to you?

14. What do you think, will Jesus want to part with those who enter into Eternal trade with Him?

15. Have you already bought something from the Faithful Witness? Do you want to continue trading?