I was telling Ashley one of my favorite verses. Revelation 7 paints an amazing picture of heaven. Paul describes the tribes and nations standing before the throne of God singing praises to their savior.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen."Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them."They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
When I first read this passage, I imagined everyone in heaven shouting these words. It sounded beautiful in my head. The only thing that was wrong: It was all in English. When I was in Costa Rica, at church, people were singing praises in Spanish. People were singing praises in English. It sounded chaotic. It sounded glorious. I loved it. That's what heaven will be: A Beautiful Chaos!
I am looking forward to it. As Ashley and I continued to talk about it, she mentioned how God is constant communication with us. I think I forget that sometimes. I think I forget that God is always trying to reach for me. I think I forget to answer when he calls me. Sometimes, I just dont hear my phone ringing. Sometime I know my phone is ringing and I just don't have time. Is it possible that I do the same thing with God. Maybe I just dont make time for God. Why don't I? What is keeping me from the constant communication that I should be striving for? What is keeping me from the worship I could be having?
Do i forget that Christ has washed my robe white? I still struggle with anxiety attacks. I just keep it pretty quiet. But I forget that I don't need to struggle. I forget that God has things worked out for me. While the unknown scares me half to death, I know that everything I do will be for the glory of God. I know that everything I do is to better his kingdom. I know everything i do SHOULD be to better his kingdom. The sun will not beat down on me. That is awesome. So what makes me so anxious. Besides the obvious. What makes me so worried about the unknown. What makes me uneasy with the thought that God knows and I dont.
Perhaps I should tattoo this verse on my wrist. Perhaps I should look at this every day and remind myself that with Christ, I no longer have to be thirsty. I dont have to hunger. The sun doesnt beat down on me. He has washed my robe clean and the tears have been wiped from my eyes. My God is fair and just. And while I struggle like every other human being, maybe I just dont have to do it alone.
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