Monday, June 4
Scripture Reading—Revelation 4:1-8
Try to visualize this scene. It’s more dramatic than the special effects
of your favorite superhero movie! The
point, though, is not just dramatic effect. It is to lift up a vision of God as
beautiful, powerful, and holy—a being who loves us, but a being who is
radically different from us in power, authority, knowledge, and wisdom. The response of the heavenly court is
continual praise and worship. “Holy,
holy, holy . . .” We live in a very
secular world with little sense of the greatness of God. We live in a time when we’re more comfortable
talking about God as our constant friend and companion than the one who rules
the universe and is worthy of the praise of every creature. Something powerful happens to us, however,
when we allow ourselves to contemplate the greatness and goodness of God. Yes, we may be humbled and feel small and
perhaps even unworthy. But true worship
of our creator reminds us that we, too, have been created for greatness. Beautiful sanctuaries, great pipe organs,
well-trained choirs, and beautiful stained glass windows may seem like
extraneous frills to some people, especially when confronted with the harsh
realities of homelessness, poverty, and injustice. But could it be that allowing ourselves to contemplate
and worship the one true God is precisely what helps us recall God’s grand
purpose for all God’s creatures—and God’s creation? For,
in that experience of worship offered by the creature to the creator we are called, inspired, and empowered to do all we can to work with God
to bring healing to our fellow wounded creatures and restoration to God’s
beautiful but corrupted creation.
Thought
for the day: True worship connects us
with the holy and transforms us into the likeness of the one we worship.
Prayer: O God, help me to encounter your greatness
and goodness in worship, to acknowledge my need for your presence and power,
and to be transformed into your image and likeness so that your light and love
is reflected in my life. Amen.
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