FBC Daily Devotions

Re-read the week’s passage: Revelation 4:1-11. Thinking back over the week, what things did God impress upon you? How did it make a difference this last week?

Read Revelation 4:9-11.

The more we worship God, the smaller we become. Perhaps the opposite is even truer: the smaller we are in our own eyes, the greater our worship of God becomes.[1] Apparently the worship of the four angels around the throne of God evoked such a sense of God’s holiness that the elders sitting on their thrones got out of their own thrones and fell before God and cast their gold crowns before Him. Such prostration of mind, body, and heart! The crowns – their reward for a life of faithful service to God – were cast before God in essence saying, “God, everything we may have merited is only by your sovereign will. You created all things, and without You, there would be nothing to bring before You.”

Everything we have and done are only through the hand of God. There is nothing we bring to the table. We think we walk into a situation and do the work of God, but it is God who set up the situation in the first place. We think our good works for others are by our own hands, but God is the One who gives us eyes to see needs. God created and creates all things by His sovereign will.

Everything in life is a gift. Everything in eternity will be a gift. We don’t earn a thing. We may be blessed with good things for our faithful service (e.g. the golden crowns, treasures in heaven), but even these are gifts. Nothing is given for us to keep, but all things are given to cast at His feet to acknowledge God’s glory, honor, and power. Who are we to think we deserve anything? It is God who creates all things in our lives. In fact, if I read verse 11 correctly, all things existed before they were even created (see NAS, NRSV translations). They existed in the mind of God before their creation.

There will be a day in eternity when everything we have done in this life will be exposed to see Who was really at work. But we don’t need to wait until then to acknowledge the Creator of all things. We can do that right now in our attitudes, perspectives, thoughts, and actions. How are you acknowledging God in your home, work, school, church, activities, and relationships? How will you do that today?   

 

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[1] That is not to say the more worthless we feel, the more we will worship. One can have a healthy sense of worth without letting it go their heads. We are called to be humble. That does not mean thinking less of ourselves (self-worth), but rather thinking of ourselves less (selflessness).

Read Revelation 4:6-8.

Our imaginations cannot conceive of this glorious sight! As I meditate on John’s description, I am taken aback by the holiness of God. And even then I know that no matter how magnificent a picture is generated in my mind, it still falls far short of reality. Despite that, filling my mind with the thought brings a certain strength as I enter a new day.

Take some time today and reflect on this passage, and then read Ezekiel 1:4-28. I know you’re busy, and slowing down for 10 minutes might seem impossible, but do it anyway! Allow the real presence of God to fill your mind. This is nothing mystical, simply getting our minds and attitudes on that which is perfect and good.

And when you have gotten your mind at ease, consider worshiping Him, giving Him glory and honor and thanks for all the goodness Consider this great hymn of faith:

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Who was, and is, and evermore shall be.

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

Read Revelation 4:4-5.

These days, going to a movie is quite an event. Theatres today are simply beautiful — great sound systems, digital quality pictures, luxurious seating (at least that’s the case at Lincoln Square), and hey, they even have Nathan’s hotdogs! Once settled into your seat, there is the movie trivia followed by trailers for upcoming movies. The anticipation begins to build… and then the lights dim, people get comfortable in their seats as if for a long drive ahead, the curtains draw further open, and the much anticipated show begins.

That is not unlike what we have in John’s vision. The presence of God surrounded by the twenty-four elders each in their respective thrones, dressed for the holy and awesome display to come; the Holy Spirit (seven spirits) burning like lamps before God; flashes of lightning, thunderous booms pealing through the heavenlies. But unlike a movie, this is the real deal. God is on display – He is the feature presentation. And what a presentation He is! This isn’t CGI (Computer Generated Images) and digital sound in a padded theater, but our awesome God in the theater of the universe with sound that is not just around us, but above us and below us as well. There is not a theater on earth that can and ever will compare with the theater of heaven. No better seating, no better sound, and certainly no better picture. What’s more, the price is free? Not really. See those gold crowns on the heads of the elders? Those came at a great cost for those individuals. Christ paid for the costly tickets, but these elders paid the high price of perseverance, of standing in line. Their endurance was rewarded with a front row seat.

The next time you are feeling impatient and having to endure all the discomfort of “standing in line”, remember that the show is going to be the best show ever. No comparison. Waiting in line will be worth every penny. It was certainly worth Christ’s payment of admission. Imagine how much more it will be worth it for us!

As we begin a new week, begin by reading the entire passage for the week: Revelation 4:1-11.

We are beginning a new section in the revelation – “what must take place after these things” (4:1). It will describe a future period commonly known as the “Great Tribulation” – a period unlike any other in human history, a time of great peril for the world in preparation for the culmination of all things in heaven and on earth. This will be a period that will usher in the final judgment and the new kingdom to come. When will this time come only God knows for certain, but it is certain to come. I pray that as we look deeper into these things, it will provide a sense of urgency to prepare ourselves and others for the end of all things, and to give us hope that while the end is near, a beautiful home awaits us.  

We have just come out of a series of letters addressed to seven of the churches of Asia Minor in chapter 3. Of significance is from this point onward until chapter 22, the church is no longer mentioned. Consequently, the centrality of the nation of Israel during the tribulation period seems to be in view in the proceeding chapters with Christ working primarily through the nation to turn the world to Christ. I mention this only in preparation of the passages that lie ahead. For today, though, let’s consider John’s vision of the throne of which he can only see the glory of its occupant who is presented as brilliant, radiant color. I don’t think our minds can conceive just how beautiful that really is.

On a sunny day here in the Northwest, the sun reveals so much more color and beauty than the grayness of a cloudy day. After a long string of gray days (and there are many), a sunny day in spring sweeps me off my feet. I’m sure there’s something biological about the whole thing, but there is something about seeing things in color that were once only visible in shades of gray. My grandmother nearly went her entire life seeing the world through extremely dim vision. An operation very late in life enabled her to see the world as it really is. Her first reaction was, “The colors are so intense.” Our reaction may be similar on the day we reach heaven. The colors of this world are perhaps but a sampling of the brilliance of God’s glory in the heavenlies.

When life is gray (whether it be clouds or situations), sit back for a moment and imagine the most beautiful sunset, or the most beautiful sunrise, or the blossoming of colorful flowers, or the turquoise waters of the tropics, and consider that these are but mere shadows of God’s glory to come. If His glory can make dull our colors here, imagine what it will do to our grays!