(The following is the December 16 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Revelation 12 and pay close attention to verses 7-12.)
Have you hurriedly tried to complete a task that usually takes much longer? You may be more focused or frantic, rushing to meet a deadline. That behavior contrasts with taking longer to complete a job when we have time to spare. On those occasions, we fulfill Parkinson’s Law: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” * Trying to do much in minimal time may expose our procrastination or lack of planning, but in the context of Revelation 12, something more sinister is at work.
A battle breaks out in heaven in Revelation 12 between Michael and his angels and the dragon (Satan) and his angels. The dragon and his angels are thrown to Earth, where they fight against Christians. We read, “Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short” (v. 12).
Consider all Satan would love to accomplish on Earth: plant seeds of doubt in believers, tempt Christians into scandalous sin, obstruct the unsaved from hearing the gospel, increase indifference toward God’s Word, defame the name of Christ, promote sexual immorality, increase disrespect for human life, encourage lawlessness, and every possible sin. Now imagine him compressing into a few years all he can do to accomplish the above in a desperate attempt to use his short time remaining to thwart God’s purposes. That is what we can expect from the Adversary. Has he already put this plan into effect?
How should we respond? Will we be equally determined to serve Christ in the short time remaining? Will our love for others and concern for their salvation match Satan’s hate and desire to destroy? We can’t control what others do, but we can do our part in this battle.
Next Step:
If you knew you only had a year to live, what would you attempt with urgency for Christ? What is stopping you from doing that now?
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* “Parkinson’s Law,” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, accessed August 3, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Parkinson%27s%20Law.
