PINIMAGEThis weekend at Coffee Break we studied Revelation 4. It’s an account of John’s vision of the heavenly throne room where God sits on His throne. The account is one that evokes, awe and holy fear of God’s majesty. John tells us of flashes of lighting and peals of thunder that emanate from God on His throne. He tells us of the 24 elders and the 4 heavenly beings that surround His throne crying out, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty!” John fails to find human language to describe all he sees and experiences. There just aren’t words.
After spending several hours studying, I headed up to my room to get ready for my day. I threw on some comfortable clothes and went into my bathroom to take care of my hair and put on some makeup. I thought to myself, it’s quite hard to keep at the forefront of my mind all that I had just read and pondered about God’s throne room while going through the everyday mundane tasks of life. But instead of tucking it away like a good story I’ll return to later, I can let it change me. Everything in God’s Word is there to help us grow in our understanding of Him and grow in the truth.
It’s easier to think of Revelation 4 and heaven and the things unseen as stories for another time. But Heaven is real NOW, God is being worshiped in His throne room NOW. God is ruler over all NOW. He always has been and He always will be. That thought right there changes me as I grow in my faith and understanding of Him. It changes how I approach my life, even in the every day.
Studying the chapter in Revelation stirred up anew thoughts of God’s majesty, ultimate power, and rule. He is above all. The thought can be quite intimidating. Colossians 1:16 says,
For through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see–such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.
As a child, I feared God. Not with a reverent, holy fear…just plain fear. I knew I didn’t want to cross Him for fear He would strike me down. I worried that if I sinned, God would punish me severely. This was very discouraging since I found myself sinning even when I tried hard not to. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t always see God in a less than favorable light. When I did good things and tried my best, I felt like God was pleased, like He was smiling down on me. But I could not keep up the good works for very long before I failed again. This created a distance between God and me. The more I sinned, the further I drifted from God. I couldn’t bear His disapproval of me. But that was faulty, distorted thinking.
What I love most about God is the complete and perfect balance of His character. He is the all-powerful ruler of the universe AND He loves me. He delights in me. He sings over me. (Zephaniah 3:17) It has taken all my life to begin to understand the depths of God’s love, mercy and desire for me. But THIS is what has changed my whole pursuit of God and given me deep and lasting joy in my relationship with Him.
Many of us have no problem seeing the God of lightning and thunder who rules the universe – a God of judgment and righteousness. But we struggle to see that He is also the God of unconditional love for us. He offers unconditional love to you, my friend. Embracing the fullness of God (including both His holiness AND His unconditional love) helps us to trust Him and give Him more of our hearts.
Let’s be honest, we often fight to obey God because we fear He will harm us or do what He desires AT OUR EXPENSE. Bottom line is…we don’t trust Him.
But trusting Him and opening our hearts up to Him more and more each day, unlocks the door to deep abiding joy for us. Because when we take a chance on God, we find He is who He says He is. Joy is found, not in the things He does for us, not in getting what we want; but in drawing close to God for His fellowship alone, in a relationship of trust and faithfulness. The Creator of the Universe offers this to you.
While reading just the other day Psalm 16, I noticed a continued theme. Over and over the passage points to God Himself as the one satisfying desire of the psalmist. He doesn’t want God’s gifts or for God to just do what he wants Him to. He has figured out that what his heart wants more than these things, is for God to abide with him. It says,
Psalm 16
1 Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
3 The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.
5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
7 I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.
My body rests in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.
11 You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.
The psalmist expresses here that he’s learned:
God is his Refuge.
God is his Master and every good thing comes from Him.
God is his Inheritance.
God is his Cup of Blessing.
God is his Guardian
God is his Guide and Teacher.
God is always with him, walking right beside him.
I love how he sums it up. No wonder my heart is glad and I rejoice…You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
Until our one and only pursuit is God and His presence in our lives, something will be out of whack. We will settle for lesser things. We will pursue a momentary fix to an eternal need – the need to intimately know and worship our God and King.
We often pursue a momentary fix to an eternal need.
- Are you afraid of God?
- Are you afraid to trust God?
- Are you pursuing lesser things?
- Are you seeking things FROM God instead of God Himself?
Don’t miss it. Don’t miss what your heart is truly after – fellowship with Him. Ask God to help you see Him as He desires you to. Ask Him today to help you to pursue Him with all your heart.
