You Are Worthy - Revelation 4:8-11

 

While we are invited to look upon God as our Father, we must remember that our understanding of what a father is has become very corrupted.  Sin has caused such degeneration to us and our understanding, that we can only know the truth about anything from what God tells us.  "Our Father, which art in heaven", can only be approached in His appointed way.  Jesus reminds us of this when He taught us the model prayer by adding  "hallowed be Thy Name". (Matthew 6:9-13)

            Here in Revelation 4 we see those closest to God, who see His constant goodness and greatness, giving utterance to expressions of His holiness while falling down on their faces in worship.  Here there is no thought of casual camaraderie.  No thought of self and what I can do for God.  Instead we find an overwhelming sense of humility that this great, infinite, and living God would stoop to not just give me life, but would interact intimately with me on an ongoing basis.

            King David had this in mind when he wrote the 139th Psalm.  Verse 6 says: "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."   Today,  our perverted ideas of "love", has changed our idea of God's loving character.  Instead of being humbled by thoughts of His greatness and condescension to us, we puff ourselves up by thinking He is like us.  We think His love is like our corrupted love. 

            Examples:  We will accept what people do, no matter what it is, and call  that acceptance "love".  We might think there needs to be a change if the behavior is destructive, and so we hope they will change.  But we think that love doesn't really concern itself with behavior, just what is "in the heart".  We make a real effort to ignore the behavior.  Then we come into God's presence with no thought of preparation, because  "God's just glad I'm here".  "He loves me just as I am".  "He sees my heart" and accepts my "human weakness" because He loves me.  Our Lord welcomes us as we are, but only so He can change us into what He is.  He never intends for us to stay the way we are, for we are to become like Him.

            We either forget, or ignore, the truth that behavior reveals what is in the heart.  What I really am, what is in my heart, is revealed by my behavior.  As it is written:  "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23) And  "...out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks". (Luke 6:45)  And so the way I talk, the way I dress, the way I act all reveals what I think about God.  The way I act in His Presence, such as in church, shows whether I acknowledge His Worthiness, or my own so called worthiness.

            Look now at this Being, this Father, Who is so infinite in His love that He positively glows with the light of love that is unapproachable by humans.  Do "little things" matter to Him?  Ask Adam and Eve - just a little bite of fruit.  Look at all they lost, and all they, and us, have had to endure, as the result of that one act as the result grew over time.  "Desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."  (James 1:15)

            Ask Uzzah,  (2 Samuel 6) who reached out to steady the ark of God as it was being carried on a cart.  He was struck dead by God for his presumption. Does it matter how I approach God?  Ask Ananias and Sapphira, who changed their minds about a promise they made to God and told a half truth to try to cover themselves. The result was instant death (Acts 5) by this God Who is love. (1 John 4:7-8) Remember that God is love, but it is pure love.  He can require perfect love from us because He has given us everything we need to do so.

            The first words in God's last message, His last appeal to humanity, are "Fear God"  (Revelation 14:6).  Not that He wants us to be afraid of Him, but rather that we should be afraid to sin against Him, to go against Him in the least way.  In view of the self sacrificing love God has revealed toward us, we should return that love by running away from the first enticement to go against Him.  God made an infinite sacrifice of Himself, He gave all He had so that He can be with us.  Let us separate ourselves from any idea we have that we can be close to Him in any way other than what He has laid out. 

            Let us join with the host of heaven, and with all the holy beings God has created, in true worship of this Wonderful, Loving, Self-sacrificing God.  Because of the revelation He has given us of Himself, let us bow in humble adoration before Him at all times.  He alone is worthy!