Last week we were given a glimpse of heaven’s throne room.  God was sitting on the throne, surrounded by the 24 elders and the four living creatures.  All were worshiping God and giving him the honor due His holy name. 

In today’s chapter the apostle saw a roll of parchments in God’s hand.  It was sealed with seven seals.  The parchments represent God’s secret purposes, which were about to be revealed.  God has a divine plan for the lives of everyone, both the saved and the lost. Things may seem chaotic to us at times, but it is because we do not see the whole picture as God sees it. 

The parchments are opened one at a time until the whole mystery of God's plan is finished in the world.  Only the Lord only can open these parchments.  People who have a close walk with God are anxious to see His plan and His glory revealed.  We want to know His will! Sometimes we get impatient to look into these things and cause a lot of grief.  Our fascination should be with God, not with His plan.  Grief and sorrow come when we get ahead of God. 

John wept because he thought no one could open the book of God's decrees.  Many will weep when they are opened because they did not do what their spirits told them to do.  We should not weep because we cannot foresee future events.  Rather, we should rejoice in faith that God is working all things out for our good.  Our Sunday school lesson today talked about dealing with grief at the death of a loved one. Should we weep, or should we say, "Well, they have reached the goal." 
 

When I was a child they rightly taught us to work like we were going to live forever, and walk with God like this was the last day of our lives! 

Some days I long for the day when Jesus calls me home.  When we were in Japan, about ready to complete my tour of duty with the United States Army, I would gaze fondly at the Yokota air force base landing strip.  I knew that in a few months… then weeks… then days I would be getting on one of those planes and heading for Oklahoma!  But I kept working faithfully at the hospital, giving the best care possible to the servicemen injured in Viet Nam. When the colonel called me into her office to talk to me about re-enlisting I just smiled and said as respectfully as I knew how, "Not a chance."  My tour was done, and it was time to take my wife and two children HOME!

Christ, who stands as the Mediator between God and mankind is called a Lion, but He appears as the Lamb who was slain for our sins.  Thus we see the marks of His sufferings. We do well to remember that He died for our sins and now He pleads for us in heaven. Think of it!  Christ is praying for us even as we sit in church and worship Him.  He appears as a Lamb, having seven horns and seven eyes; perfect power to execute all the will of God, and perfect wisdom to understand it, and to do it in very effectively.  The Father put the book of His eternal counsels into the hand of Christ.  And Christ readily and gladly took it into His hand; for He delights to make known the will of His Father; and the Holy Spirit is given by Him to reveal the truth and will of God.

It is matter of joy to all the world, to see that God deals with men in grace and mercy through the Redeemer.  He governs the world, not merely as a Creator, but as our Savior. The harps were instruments of praise; the vials were full of odors, or incense, which signify the prayers of the saints: prayer and praise should always go together.  Christ has redeemed His people from the bondage of sin, guilt, and Satan.  He has not only purchased liberty for them, but the highest honor and preferential treatment.   Jesus made us kings and priests; kings, to rule over our own spirits, and to overcome the world, and the evil one; and He makes us priests; giving us access to Himself, and liberty to offer up spiritual sacrifices. 

What words can more fully declare that Christ is, and ought to be worshiped, equally with the Father, by all creatures, to all eternity!  Imagine our thrill as we adore and praise Jesus in heaven!  There we shall forever bless the Lamb, who delivered and set us apart for Himself by His blood. "How worthy art Thou, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of our highest praises!  All creatures should proclaim Thy greatness, and adore Thy majesty."

Judson Cornwall said, "Worship helps us find who we are and why God has placed us here on the earth.  When we bow in God's presence with worship, only then are we made complete."

As Christians we should be aware of God’s love for us and learn to express it to Him in words and action.  We call that worship.  We should also be excited about our future!  The following story illustrates the gratitude that each of us should be feeling every day.
 

Where are you today – spiritually speaking?  Have your received Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life?  He will be a powerful friend if you will only let Him be.  If you have not asked Jesus into your life may I encourage you to do so today!