Quite often, as a function of the role that I play, I am ushered to the front of a room in order to facilitate a pending entrance onto a platform or stage. Most recently this happened at Taylor University where I spoke at chapel… in fact, they even had my name printed and attached to a seat.
This living example has drawn me to imagine our proximity to the throne in heaven… the incredible, beautiful, living environment where The King of Kings will be seated. The description of this scene in Revelation 4 is awe inspiring.
But, until that day, until we exchange our mortality for immortality, we are escorted and ushered into a flawed and foggy view of Jesus, our redeemer, our Savior, our hope. We long to see Him more clearly, to understand Him more fully, to grasp Him more completely…
Have you noticed that often the usher into the presence of Jesus is pain? Yes, the more intense our longing, the more broken our heart, the more defenseless our ego, the more humble our expression… the more closely we get to the throne.
I long for safety, for predictability, for control… but this keeps me far away from a more fully exposed perspective of Jesus. It is pain, and lament, and confession, and weakness, and a contrite heart, and brokenness that accompany me to the front of the room; to a place in close proximity to Jesus; to a place where His love and compassion and promise and hope and strength and justice and power come more clearly into focus.
It was the cross that ushered Jesus to this throne… pain and loneliness and injustice and lies and abandonment were His companion, and I fear that until we understand this, we will be content with our perspective from the “nose bleed section”; we will leave our seat vacant at the front of the room.
Pain is our usher. Brokenness shows us the way. Humility lights the path. To Jesus. To victory. To the throne. To worship. To glory. To tear-wiping comfort. To healing. To restoration.
An unwelcome usher to a most astounding place.
“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 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.” ~ Revelation 4:2-3 (ESV)
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty…”
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