Worship

Sometimes the words from the Word are enough…

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.
I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!
For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!
Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:1–17)

…enough because Jesus is enough. Always.

PRAY: Today my heart is filled with the wonder of God, not because of any special event, or even a good night’s sleep — or even the delightful dream in which I signed up for piano lessons. Jesus, I love You, just because. You are the Lion and the Lamb, my shelter in the time of storm, my joy in a weary land. Today You give me great rest in You, my great Savior and God. Thank You.


 

The Lion and the Lamb

Once I had a flock of sheep, but no lambs. The first time I saw a lamb was last summer. They are different from adult sheep, vulnerable even fragile, curious and extremely cuddly. Seeing and holding a real lamb changes my thoughts as I read this part of Revelation. John was taken up to heaven and saw the one on the throne with a scroll that was sealed. No one was worthy to open it until one of the elders said that the Lion of the tribe of Judah “had conquered” and was able to do it. But then the Lion was described as a Lamb . . .

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:6–14)

Perhaps the books and movies made of “The Chronicles of Narnia” make it easier to visualize Jesus as a Lion, a powerful creature and noble in appearance. Picturing Him as a Lamb, a slain Lamb even, does something to my heart. The image draws me to Him with humility and tenderness. I want to know Him deeper. My affection level goes up.

In these verses, Jesus is worthy. He receives prayer and worship from His people, those who are ransomed by His shed blood to belong in His kingdom and be priests in this world. He is exalted and blessed — as a Lamb.

My memories are vivid. The lamb I held and fed was gentle. Its fleece was softer than anything I’d ever touched. When in my arms, it snuggled and pushed itself against me. And God’s Word says of His Lamb that He who was slain is worth to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, this You did for us, for sinners, for those who ridiculed and rejected You. You could have roared like a lion and put me in my place, but instead You became as meek as a lamb and took my place. I have no words for how this makes me feel except that I always want to remember that You and You alone are worthy.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- finding myself worshiping Jesus each time my mind was free to do so.

- the cold winters in our area has merit — it kills the bugs.

- for the many who have purchased my quilt pattern showing when Jesus was born.

- another good workout at the gym.

- shopping for stocking stuffers with my hubby.

- the smell of lasagna and garlic toast (tasted great too).

What child is this…?

The little boy stopped at a brushed metal nativity decoration and ran his fingers over it. My sister asked him if he knew what it was. He said that he didn’t, so she explained that it depicted a child that was born and that we celebrate His birth at Christmas. Then she asked him if he knew who that child was. The boy, about six years old, said, “Santa Claus?” My sister was startled. She told the child was Jesus and that he could read about Him in the Bible.
 

We are praying for that family and that boy, even with tears that our so-called Christian country has children like this one, and likely many more who know nothing about Jesus, or think that His name is just a swear word.

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered”…. and I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…. (Revelation 5:5–6)

This verse from today’s devotional reading offers some comfort. This “unknown” Jesus will become known as the conqueror. He will reign and everyone will know who He is. For now, Christians like me are responsible to tell others about Him and make Him known.

The image of a Lion and a Lamb can be understood by a child, but even the wisest of adults struggle with who Jesus is, and with the incredible truths about His attributes. He is opposites in many ways, but not “on and off” like my opposites. Instead He is all of who He is at the same time. That is, all of His attributes are equal . His almighty power gives Him the ability to be incredibly humble, without any inner compulsion to prove anything. His humility is not weakness, but amazing strength fully controlled.

He is Lord of all as fully God and fully man and as Mediator between God and man. His dominion is a natural dominion, delegated yet in place because of who He is. In that might Person is also found the greatest obedience, a total submission to the commands of God.

I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. (John 14:31)

No one has ever been asked to do what the triune God determined for God the Son, yet Jesus was willing to do it. “He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). No other being, human or angel was or ever will be asked this, yet the One who did it was at the same time the supreme Lord of both angels and humans, willing to die for our sin.

This absolute sovereignty and perfect submission means that this Jesus works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, yet it was His will to obey even when it meant terrible suffering. As He faced it, His soul was sorrowful and His sweat dropped blood. Still He said,

My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will… if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done. (Matthew 26:39–42)

This one born a babe in Bethlehem totally obeyed His Father in heaven and purchased for us total redemption and forgiveness so we might live together with Him forever. How utterly sad that there are people everywhere, including children, who have never even heard of Him.