Revelation 4:1-11 Worship Is Now, and Now, and Now...

Scripture: Revelation 4:1-11

Observation: People often think that the book of Revelation takes place only in the future, but because it is a heavenly vision, time is not so linear. In this text, John is led through a doorway into a heavenly throne room, where twenty four elders and four living creatures, a lion, an ox, a human and an eagle, praise God day and night. This is not the future as such: it is eternity. It is always. They sing "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Never has there ever been, not will be, a time when this song of praise does not ring out.

Application: Our church is changing its worship service time this Sunday. We're going from two services at 8 & 10:30, to one service at 9:30. I think it's the right thing, but I'm still nervous. Will this work for more people? Despite our sharing it well in advance every way we know how, will we still have people arrive early and late? I sweat the details sometimes.

It's helpful when I get into this mindset, to think that worship actually never stops. In Heaven, worship is always. It's now, and now, and now, and now....

When we have a worship service, we are not creating or building anything. We are not placing something in time that was not there. We are opening the door to Heaven, to flood our time with what has always been, and letting in the songs of the cosmos, from the past, the future, and the now.

Worship is happening when I have a solid vision for ministry, and when it eludes me. Worship is happening when I am able to keep my priorities straight, and when I get bogged down in piddly nonsense. Worship is happening when I am working and when I rest, when feel my own worth as a child of God, and when I forget it and despair. Worship is happening when my faith is strong and when I struggle. That throne room is rocking 24 hours a day, always, because it is outside our time and space, and in God's, where the victory over all that oppresses us has always been won, and always will be. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come.

Prayer: You are indeed holy, and great is the majesty of your glory. Open a door for me today, and for my friends reading these words. Help us hear your song. Amen.