Encounter With God 19th May 2020 Devotional – Here I am To Worship
TODAY’S TOPIC: HERE I AM TO WORSHIP
Opening Prayer: Lord, I can barely comprehend even the periphery of Your glory and splendor.
Read Revelation 4 – The Throne in Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
Encounter With God 19th May 2020 Devotional
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’[b]
who was, and is, and is to come.”
- Encounter With God 19th May 2020 Devotional
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
Footnotes:
a Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
b Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
New International Version (NIV)
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Meditate – Encounter With God 19th May 2020 Devotional
“You will invest your life in something, or you will throw it away on nothing” (Haddon Robinson, 1931–2017). What have you laid aside for the Lord today?
Think Further: Chapters 4 and 5 introduce the heavenly events preceding the opening of the seals, the sounding of the trumpets and further orchestrated events from heaven—events that will affect the entire earth. What a stunning sight it is—the throne room itself—a sight that puts the world’s temples and empires to shame. Whatever the earthlings cobble together to worship, the living God is nonetheless in charge, and all things bow before him.
The radiance and living beings worshipping in earnest before the King make me question my heart before God. What is worship? For example, if I happen to walk past an immaculate Rolls Royce Silver Shadow car, I would have to stop and look and stare and be in awe!
Worship means “ascribe worth.” The throne room is alive with spontaneous—not commanded—adoration; John can barely describe the brilliance coming from the throne, but those who worship before it do so in awe, not fear, because God is love. The rainbow encircles the throne, showing the completeness of heaven and God’s promise.
Regardless of what is to come, his loved ones will be safe. So much powerful imagery—and he is eminently worthy of our worship. Jesus is pure, sinless and brighter than bright; we have a hope that “does not put us to shame” (Rom. 5:5).
The 24 elders probably represent all believers, a kingdom of priests all together before God, lost in awe and wonder. Like us, John’s immediate readers faced temptations: idols, sin, a lukewarm commitment. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). These elders continually worship Jesus. They haven’t run their race for themselves: their crowns are for Jesus, and they want to lay them before him. Following Christ, then and now, costs everything—but look at what we have to gain.
Apply: Find time today to worship, whether in music, reading or quiet. Rejoice that he is worthy to receive glory and you can sing: Holy, Holy, Holy.
Closing Prayer: Lord, we Your church on earth willingly join in with the heavenly beings prostrating ourselves before You in worship.
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