Heaven

5 min read

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four 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: 11 “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.”

Revelation 4:8-11

I can’t quite wrap my head around this idea that the four living creatures would be continually praising God day and night for all eternity. Then it dawns on me that the four living creatures are not necessarily the same for living creatures who are doing this 24/7. But the worship in heaven is established on the truth that our Lord and God is worthy to receive all glory, honor, and power.

No heavenly being is forced to devote their lives to worshiping God. They are all before the throne of God because they all understand His worthiness. Their joy is found in expressing God’s worthiness. And so their eternal lives revolve around worshiping Him.

For those of us who are saved, that is what we will all be doing in heaven. In fact, we make it into heaven because we understand, right here and now, God’s worthiness. We make it into heaven because our joy is found in expressing God’s worthiness right here and now. The prospect of spending eternity in worshiping God fills our hearts with eager anticipation.

If we have ever experienced a moment in worship where we find ourselves in the presence of God, we get all of this.

Whenever I worship, I surrender my soul to come into the presence of God. I have to surrender my heart, soul, strength, and mind to the reality of the revelation given to us in God’s word.

I cannot rely on my emotions to worship God. We cannot rely on our emotions to surrender our will to the truth of God’s word. And yet, when we surrender our will to the truth of God’s word, more often than not, our emotions will follow. That has been my experience.

Of course, I am not always able to “feel” God’s presence in those situations. But even then, I trust in God’s word, and I strive to continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name (Hebrews 13:15). May Canvas be that kind of worshiping community.

Father, You are good, and Your lovingkindness, faithfulness, and mercy endure forever. I look forward to the day when we can physically join the throngs of heaven before Your throne. Until that day, give me a foretaste. Give us a foretaste of that joy. In Jesus’s name. Amen.