Worthy

"Saying with a loud voice, 

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain 

to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, 

and honour, and glory, and blessing.

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, 

and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, 

Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, 

be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

Revelation 5:12, 13.

While I've never categorized it as my favorite verse, this verse has stirred me more deeply and more consistently than almost any other in Scripture, even though it's one I haven't fully understood.

I remember childhood days when I would listen through that entire blue Scripture song cassette to hear this climactic last song. Then I would turn over the tape and listen through everything all over again (to my family's annoyance)--just to hear that last song again (in an orderly fashion).

I remember a rare experience sitting in an auditorium seat shaking and trembling with emotion as Glacier Symphony & Chorale reached (in my opinion) the climax of Handel's Messiah. The outrageous torments the King of the Universe had endured at the hands of His creation were past. He has finished His perilous rescue mission, and finally the multitudes of heaven swell with highest praise, proclaiming the Sacrificial Lamb worthy.

Worthy. Jesus has spilled His blood and made my life worth something precious. And now He is worth-y.

To receive. He has given all. Now He deserves to receive.

Power. He has suffered at the hands of cruel men wielding earthly power. Now He deserves to wield the scepter. He has suffered my denial of His rulership in my heart. Now He deserves to rule--over my thoughts, my feelings, my choices, my life. No one ever ever used power better than Jesus.

Riches. He left riches--yea, everything comfortable and convenient--and was born in a dirty barn of sorts. His meals He shared with those hungrier than he, sometimes going without Himself. Now He deserves the greatest riches the universe can offer. Yes, Jesus deserves my offerings to Him, in the needy in my pathway. It is said that time is money. Jesus deserves my time, the years of my youth; the fruitful years of the harvest-aged. He deserves whatever I count too precious to let go of. He is more precious.

Wisdom. What? He who is wisdom itself (1 Cor. 1:24) can receive wisdom? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Prov. 9:10.) Through sin the powers of man's mind have been diverted to selfish and sinful purposes. He has ceased to fear God, ceased to know Him, and has lost that wisdom with which he was originally endowed. He who created man's mind is worthy of its highest reverence and service. He is worthy to be feared, to be known. He is worthy to take away my human "wisdom" (which is foolishness) in exchange for His unfailing wisdom. He deserves the service of my mind cultivated to the highest degree.

Strength. Jesus is the source of all life and strength. He created me. In His earthly life every expenditure of energy was for the service of man and the glory of God, until all was finally spent on the cross. He is worthy to receive every ounce of my strength, every moment of my life.

Honor. Despised and rejected on this earth, Jesus was never dejected by censure. Neither could the devil's lure of flattery elate Him. Our Captain's eye was fixed--on the joy of bringing many sons to glory, though it meant pressing through the most terrible suffering any has been called to bear. Than all heroes who have left their memorial in life, His heroism towers higher. He is worthy of my most revering thoughts and exclamations, worthy of honor.

Glory. He left the glorious courts of heaven, bringing with Him the glory of a godly character into this dark world. He saw that we were naked--devoid of His grace, and proceeded to take our shame upon Himself at the cross, in exchange offering us His own garment of glory--His beautiful character. Truly He is worthy to see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied to behold His likeness in our lives, worthy to be glorified in our thoughts and words and character! He deserves to be the subject of my first and last and most riveting cogitations in my day; the subject of my most interesting conversations; the pattern for my every action.

Blessing. His every act and word breathed blessing to all with whom He came in contact. He longed for them to enjoy the fullness of a whole life--whole physically, mentally, and spiritually. His touch opened sealed ears, His word loosed bound tongues and unravelled tangled doctrines. His look calmed the troubled spirit. And yet it seemed as seed cast away into unfruitful ground; few responded in kind, and at last those beneficent hands were nailed to a rough tree. Christ is worthy to receive blessing. The Creator is worthy for His creatures to be overflowing with love, gratitude, and adoration for Him, desiring more than anything else that He be honored, loved, and obeyed--everywhere.

One day soon every knee will bow to worship Him who is worthy, and will unite in one voice to sing this most beautiful song. If I will join the hosts of heaven and the redeemed in this song, I must learn it here and truly live like He is worthy.