Asking Questions and Finding Answers
Bible Reading: Revelation 4
4 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
Reflection: Contemplating the sun, moon and stars gives rise to lots of questions. It is good to ask questions because doing so causes us to search for answers and in the process gain more understanding of God and his creation. However, much of creation and the universe is beyond our ability to understand. We may not learn the answers to most of our questions until we are with God for all eternity. Once we dwell with God, we will understand everything and recognize fully who he is and what he has done. That knowledge will so overwhelm us that we will never stop praising and worshipping him. We will rejoice in the light of Christ’s glory. Like the creatures in heaven described in Revelation 4:11 we will bow before Christ and say: “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.”
Journal Writing: What is an important truth from the reflection? Why do you need to know that truth?
Application Prayer: Write out a prayer for God’s insight and help into how you can apply the truth from the reflection.
Week’s Memory Verse: Psalm 19:1-3
1The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
3There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.