As we are inching closer and closer to Christmas, I’ve been spending some personal time focusing not only on Jesus birth as we traditionally do, but I’ve found myself fascinated by His King-ness as we celebrate the season. I do love the story of Jesus as a newborn baby, and I understand the deep importance of Him coming to this broken world as a Holy and perfect example of Heaven. We learned so much from Jesus and His life! His birth is just the beginning.

Last week, I told you how I found myself in tears as we sang “Revelation Song” in church. For some reason, singing the words that the Angels sing to God in heaven makes me so emotional!

The imagery in the book of Revelation is our sneak peek into a little taste of Heaven and it’s magnificent!

This week, I want to invite you to focus on in Revelation 4:10-11

“The 24 elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and  by your will they were created and have their being.’ “

This week I’ve been searching God’s Word, looking for clues as to what is meant by these elders laying down their crowns.  It’s kind of a weird concept, isn’t it?

I found myself wondering what I would do in their situation. If I were at Jesus’ feet, on the right hand of God, would I take a crown off of my head and throw it at Him?

And why would I?

As I searched the Bible, I discovered that crowns are very meaningful all through out. And while the crown imagery in the Bible has many different meanings, I wanted to hone in on one today.

A trophy. Or a medal. Just like Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.
No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

Our lives lived in service to Christ is our race. The things we do here and the lives we touch, the words we say, the actions we take have eternal rewards. A life lived for Jesus Christ is a life rewarded. And those heavenly rewards will be our crown!

Now imagine yourself in heaven, and all you have is your crown. When you are at the Holy feet of Jesus, what will you have to give Him?

I can imagine the gratitude I will feel when I see Jesus face to face, next to God the Father, knowing that it is all that He did that brought me there.

What is my presence?

Who am I before Him?

When I think about those questions, I feel so small and insignificant!

I imagine taking that crown of glory from my head as the only thing of value that I own and just like those 24 elders, with my head bowed in reverence, offering my crown to Him as the only pathetic thing I can give Him for my gratitude.

How humbling and beautiful is that to imagine?

Look back at the song the elders sang as they laid their crowns. (Revelation 4:11)

During this advent season, I invite you to write those words on a card and offer them back up to God each and every morning. Allow yourself to be overcome with gratitude for who He is and what He has done.

And as you live each day, take up the little bits of yourself and offer them back to live a life for Christ. Make it a priority to live your life as an act of worship.

He is Worthy.

He is worth every bit of our praise.

Read through Revelation 4 once again this week. Humble yourself in its words and write in your own words the imagery that is described. Really peel back the curtain and pay attention to Johns little sneak peek into Heaven that we have in this amazing book. What does it look like to you? What are you looking forward to? Hit reply and let me know!

Many blessings friend,

Angie