Day 17: River City
Revelations 2:7: (KJV) “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”
Communications on a war ship are extremely important. The flow of information contributes directly to the ability of a ship to carry out its mission and perform its mandate. There are special codes that detail the kinds of communication that take place. Most often, these codes have names that are peculiar to each command. On the JFK, we invoke what we call river city. All military activities have some form of specialized communication codes. When the JFK sets River City communication conditions, our interactions with the outside world were limited. The command had established a select, predetermined group that could continue to communicate without any hindrances. This privilege is called away when we are about to conduct important military business. Once river city is invoked, only people in key strategic positions can send or receive messages.
John seemed to understand this concept within the church. John was effectively setting a River City communication condition for the people of God when he said, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Only the chosen would be able to hear the valued message God was sending. Others would be left clueless as to what God was saying to the faithful. How glad I am that I am in God’s River City communication congregation. Are you? Our request of God:
I want to hear from you, O Lord, in that special way you speak,
Words from heaven that touch my soul, that is what I seek;
Continuously communicate with me in ways I can understand,
So if anyone asks: can you hear the Lord? I will say: I can.”
Questions to Consider:
- When was the last time you enjoyed a time of special communication with God?
- How did it affect your day, your week, and your month?
Reflection for the Day:
- Consider the joy of being in God’s River City congregation!
