Has God ever asked you to give something up? Something you enjoyed? Something in which you found identity, purpose, or fulfillment? It can be extraordinarily difficult to let go of things to which we've become accustomed, especially when we've allowed them to intertwine with our sense of worth, or entangle themselves with the notion of "who we are". Giving up such things can feel, well...like dying. But though our flesh may protest, we are called to embrace suffering, even death, for the sake of our Savior (Mk. 8:34).
The church at Smyrna was suffering. An onslaught of both economical and physical persecution left these believers impoverished, imprisoned, and intimidated. The Christians at Smyrna gave up their livelihoods, their reputations, probably even their relationships for the sake of Jesus, and now it seemed they would give their very lives as well!
Smyrna was a leading city of emperor worship in the Roman empire; in 23 A.D. they won the privilege of building the first temple to the Emperor Tiberius Caesar. Under the reign of Domitian (81–96 A.D.), emperor worship became compulsory—citizens were required to burn a pinch of incense and declare, "Caesar is lord". According to church history, it was during Domitian's rule that John was exiled to Patmos and received the Revelation.
Tradition also speaks of Germanicus, a Christian of Smyrna who was fed to the lions, and Polycarp, the leader of the church at Smyrna, who was burned at the stake for refusing to worship Caesar. The believers Jesus addressed in his letter were faced with equally brutal and horrific prospects, and it was to these that He reveals Himself as "the First and the Last, who died and came to life again" (Rev. 2:8). This title must have brought great comfort to the church at Smyrna. By it Christ communicates that death has no hold over Him, and it will have no hold over His followers!
Today, we are not pressed into saying, "Caesar is lord." But we may be saying, "my career is lord," or "my bank account is lord," or "my happiness is lord." We may be turning a blind eye to the "pinch" of time, money, creative passion or mental energy we sacrifice, saying, "It's really not that big a deal..." We may be clinging to such things because, ultimately, we are afraid of suffering, afraid of giving them up.
When we are afraid or suffering, it's easy to imagine God as absent or uncaring. Perhaps the believers in Smyrna felt the same. But Christ comforts them in their trouble with two of the sweetest words we can ever hear from our Lord: "I know." Jesus says, "I know what you're going through and what awaits you. I know what you've lost. I know the way you're being treated and I know how you have held on for My sake. Now, do not let fear derail you—hold on a little while longer and you shall see Me, and I will give you the crown of life!" (v. 9–10).
What is Christ asking you to give up today? What suffering is He imploring you to embrace? To which part of yourself is He tenderly encouraging, "Be faithful, even to the point of death"? As followers of Christ we should always be prepared to sacrifice—yes, even to the point of giving all for our Lord who did not hesitate to lay down His life for us.
We must be willing to abandon worldly comforts, to forsake our "good name", and to leave behind family and friend for Jesus (Matt. 8:19–23; Lk. 14:26). To put it bluntly: We were bought at a price; there is nothing our Lord cannot ask of us! But what He asks, He also equips us to give (Heb. 13:29–21). So look unto Him, you who are suffering, you who are tasting death, and by Him you shall overcome! (Rom. 8:36)
O Lord, so often I seek to avoid suffering and loss rather than embrace it for your sake! Help me overcome my fears; keep me from clinging too tightly to this life. At the end of the day, may I be found faithful—even to the point of death. Strengthen me, Jesus, and equip me to lay down my life in whatever way You may ask of me. May I be willing to give it all, even as you gave Your life for me! In Jesus' name, amen.
Reflection Questions
- Is Jesus asking you to give something up for Him, something you're afraid or unwilling to let go of? Take it to Him in prayer.
- As believers, where does our strength come from? Do you believe Jesus' strength is sufficient for you? Why or why not?
- With whom can you share your struggle so that they may pray for you?