Recently I was very encouraged by a single line of scripture that was expounded in a devotional calendar I read from every day. The verse was from Revelation 1:9: "I, John . . . was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the Word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ."

This sounds pretty dismal! Can you imagine being exiled to die on a lonely island in complete isolation with no friends or family and only a big body of water surrounding you? This sounds unbearable, it also sounds very unfair. What was John guilty of? Surely he murdered someone or stole from someone or was guilty of some ot...