ODJ: Stare at God

February 25, 2018 

READ: Revelation 4:1-11 

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is and who is still to come (v.8).

In the book You and Me Together, Francis Chan writes, “The problem many couples [have] is that they spend a lot of time looking at themselves and each other, but very little time staring at God.” These words point us to the importance of placing our focus on Him.

John once had a vision in which God gave him a glimpse into heaven. There he “stared” at the sight of “four living beings” praising God (Revelation 4:6). “Day after day and night after night,” they proclaimed, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is and who is still to come” (v.8).

It’s likely the creatures represent all of creation in their worship of God. One had characteristics of a lion (wild animals), one of an ox (domesticated animals), one of an eagle (winged creatures) and one of a human (all people) (v.7). But why are they saying, “Holy, holy, holy”? God’s holiness means He’s separate and distinct from everything else. To double something in Scripture is to add emphasis; to triple it is to make the declaration ultimate. So the creatures worshipped God as the One of ultimate glory and majesty—the One who alone is God.

In the midst of the creatures’ worship of Him, twenty-four elders (probably representing all of God’s people) echoed this truth, declaring, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honour and power” (v.11).

It’s so easy to fill our eyes and minds with only the stuff of this world. But in doing so, we can miss the awesomeness of God and the perspective that being mindful of Him can bring. May we fix our eyes on God today and passionately worship Him. He’s holy, holy, holy and so worthy of all our praise and adoration.

—Tom Felten

365-day plan: Deuteronomy 31:1-8