“After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
“And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures… and day and night they never cease to say,
‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!‘
“And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.’”
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs 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.’” Revelation 4:1-6,8-11; 7:9-12
John’s visions in the Spirit were both otherworldly and all-enthralling. Every sense was taken up with the splendor: every word was music, every sight captivating, all was beautiful. To be before God and behold God evoked an innate cry of Amen.
Amen: so be it; a solemn asseveration of belief; truly, verily; to approve warmly; to concur heartily or emphatically; to ratify.
If ever we struggle in our prayer time, pour over these passages and say Amen. To fill the mind and heart with the exquisite beauties of Christ Jesus moves us- to our knees, to hush, to wonder, to exhilarated praise. Worship refocuses our sights and priorities. It loosens the pull of the world and its gloss by turning us to the glories of heaven. It shines light on our sins so we can repent. It dissolves errant soul ties as it warms our affections toward the Lord.
In what areas are we dry or directionless? Where has love waned? Where has compassion calloused? How will I revive my worship today? (Revelation 2:4)
Lord, lift my soul to praise You as worthy. Amen.
As the rain and snow 