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Discovering Worship
July 7th, 2007
By: J.D. Heiney
The Song of the Redeemed
God’s desire for worship is so strong that he created beings in Heaven to do nothing but worship Him for all of eternity! It is easy to think, “How in the world can I compare to that.” However, when we look at this more closely we see one of the most amazing revelations of God’s design in humanity.
In the Revelation, the Apostle John was taken to Heaven and shown many extraordinary things. In chapters 4 and 5 we read about the existence of heavenly beings that continually, night and day, encircle the throne of God and declare his worthiness and majesty.
“And the four living creatures each one had six wings around, and within being full of eyes. And they had no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty," the One who was, and is, and is coming!” Revelation 4:8 (LITV)
Now, notice the language used in this description of what these beings were declaring. Notice how there are absolutely no personal references used. It almost seems robotic the way these beings declare these things. This in no way decreases the value of what they are saying or what it means to God, but it shows that they do this out of a creative purpose. It is all they know to do. They simply cannot do it any other way.
However, as we read along further into this incredible vision John was experiencing we see something pretty amazing.
“the twenty four elders fall down before Him sitting on the throne; and they will worship the One living to the ages of the ages, and will throw their crowns before the throne, saying, Lord, You are worthy to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because You created all things, and through Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:10,11 (LITV)
Did you see it? You probably noticed a change in the language, but it’s important to understand who is speaking these things. John says that the twenty-four elders made these declarations. The twenty-four elders represent the redeemed on the earth. In other words, they represent you and I. Now, notice how the language of their declarations changed by making it absolutely personal. They declared:
“Lord, YOU are worthy….because YOU created all things…”.
The language is personal. They are addressing God in a way that not even the angels or created beings in Heaven can. This is the power of our worship to God. We can worship in a way that not even the angels in heaven can. We were lost and hopeless in our sins, but when Christ redeemed us we were then able to worship God by our own choosing to do so. This is the true song of the redeemed. We are able to access God’s heart in a way that no other created thing can because we have been redeemed and now we can choose to do so out of our own love and desire for God. This touches the heart of God like nothing else! How could we ever NOT worship Him!
Finding Him Worthy
If the church is going to enter into the fullness of what God has called us to, then we must find our Lord Jesus worthy again. I honestly believe that one of the biggest reasons why people never enter into true worship is simply because they have lost the sense of Christ’s worthiness. Revelation chapters four and five both reveal how in heaven it is forever proclaimed that He alone is worthy. A search was done in heaven, on the earth and below the earth to find someone worthy to open the seals of heaven and none was found. Only Jesus the Christ is worthy! There is no other. We must find Him worthy again. This is one of greatest motivators of our worship, his worthiness. When we understand how worthy He is to receive our worship we will join with the angels and declare it throughout all of eternity. Until we find Him truly worthy of our worship, we will never give our best. We worship because He absolutely deserves it and is absolutely worthy to receive it. There is never any question of rather or not we went too far in our worship. We can never go overboard, give too much, or express it too deeply. He is King of Kings, the Lion and the Lamb, the First and Last, the Great I AM. No one else can match Him. He’s forever faithful and forever good and just. If we can’t worship Him simply because He is absolutely without question worthy to receive it, then we must ask ourselves the question: who is really Lord and King of our lives?
Jesus you deserve all my worship, both now and forever!
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