It’s Christmas Eve Eve. I’ve made it through most of the busy, and am so grateful. Each December I read through Luke, one chapter a day. It works out so beautifully – begin December 1st and go right up to December 24th. The entire life of Jesus in December – and it is such a beautiful way to get my heart ready for Christmas. But today…
Today unraveled me, and I was a puddle.
I have also been going through a study book that’s leading me through the end of the New Testament, and this morning I spent time sitting with Revelation 4, first. This passage describes the Throne in Heaven in detail – God seated on the throne, and all around the throne is “a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.” From the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder. The elders fall down before the throne and remove their crowns. The living creatures “never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.’”
Pause on this and feel the feels. Take some time to try to get your head around it. Do you have a mental image? Can you hear it? There is no question Who is the Majesty here. There is no second guessing. The only response is to bow low and worship, as thunder roars and lightning flashes all around.
These words and images are beyond what my limited mind can comprehend. I long to see and know and be that near to his presence. But my human shell cannot withstand being that close to Glory. Not yet. One day…
The hope is immense. This world is not the end of the story. And oh, how I need to remember this and keep this hope close to my heart.
After pondering heaven for a while, I turned to Luke 23.
Luke 23… Jesus had been arrested and was put on trial. Even though Pilot and King Herod found no guilt in him, the people accused him loudly. “Crucify him! Crucify him!” People scoffed, mocked, and made fun of him. I’m not going to go into crucifixion detail here. This morning I couldn’t reconcile in my mind that people were in such disbelief that they were mocking Jesus. My heart broke for His heart. My heart broke that people today miss knowing him, and mock him still.
The contrast between the Throne in Heaven and the worst of humanity’s behavior was just too great for me. Jesus left THAT for THIS. He left the Throne and lightning and thunder and multitudes worshiping and praising him… and came to earth. He loves us that much.
He willingly left his glory and majesty to come be born as a baby, knowing that people would reject him and kill him. He came to bridge the gap so that we, too, could one day be in the Throne Room – so that we could approach the Throne of Grace with confidence.
Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Don’t rush by this mind-blowing gift this Christmas. Don’t miss the deep beauty of Jesus. Don’t gloss over the opportunity for true renewal and restoration, offered freely by the One on the Throne.