Laying Down Our Crowns
Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one who lives forever and ever. And they lay their crowns before the throne and say, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:9-11
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Much of the book of Revelation is puzzling and beyond our understanding; it pictures something that we will experience only in the hereafter. Now we comprehend only snippets of the great panorama of the end of time. One of those is in today’s verses. As the heavenly company gathers, the twenty-four elders fall down before God, lay their crowns before him, and unite in praise: “You are worthy! You created everything.”
Just as the twenty-four elders lay down their crowns, we are to lay down our best efforts, our victories, giftings and ministries, and bow in worship. We have nothing that we haven’t received from God. Corrie ten Boom said that after she spoke, people often showered her with accolades and compliments. But when she got back to her room, she would bow before the Lord and—just like a bouquet—offer to him every word of praise she had received. Someday every knee will bow, and we will join the elders and the company of heaven to worship the King of kings, but in the meantime, we can still worship the creator and sustainer of the universe, who is worthy to receive all glory and honor and power.
Prayers:
LORD, thank you for this picture of your glory being celebrated in heaven. You are worthy! It is for you and because of you that all things exist. Give us glimpses of how infinite, limitless, and majestic you are so that your glory is our focus. Draw us into worship. I lay my crowns before you, Lord—all that I’ve done or accomplished, all that I am, I give to you.
Quotes:
The glory of God, and, as our only means to glorifying him, the salvation of human souls, is the real business of life.
C. S. Lewis (1898–1963)
The One Year Bible Readings for today are: Obadiah 1-21; Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 132:1-18 and Proverbs 29:24-25.
