It’s a compelling image – one of thrones and rainbows and strange symbolic objects. But nothing more compelling to me than the scene of people on thrones falling down before the One who sits on THE throne, and offering their crowns… their worship.
It’s been popularized in Christian circles for centuries – best expressed in a cherished old hymn that speaks of “casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.” People commonly say that whatever reward they get – whatever crown – they’re going to lay at the feet of Jesus.
There is no way to understand the significance of this, however, until we recognize that before Jesus took His crown He wore mine. Before He received worship Himself, He bore mine. My crown… my worship. [click to continue…]
God has established an ordered world based on eternal principles found in His word. I’m not talking about so-called “principles” that preachers invent to make people feel good, then try to attach a random Bible verse to in order to sound legit to the church crowd. I mean truths, grounded in His character, that apply to many different situations. That’s the difference between a rule and a principle. “Don’t commit murder” is a rule. “Value life” is a principle.
That said, to the degree that we align our lives with God’s principles, we experience the fullness of God’s purpose in creating us in the first place. And the root from which every other principle springs is that everything begins with, and culminates in, the glory of God. You and I were created for his glory – to express His image, extend His life, and execute His will. And in order to fulfill that purpose, we were given the awesome gift of one lifetime.
That’s it. No Plan B. No second chances as a toad or platypus. You get one shot, with no guarantees of how long exactly that will be. But with that one lifetime, you receive the opportunity to produce consequences affecting your future, in both time and eternity.
LifeVesting is about understanding the possibilities and taking action in the direction of the compelling future and eternal reward that can be yours. It revolves around five biblical principles. You can find them expressed in a variety of images – agriculture, business, family relationships, even fishing. But the principles are consistent, regardless of the metaphor. Today I’d like to briefly explain the first one.
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It’s a compelling image – one of thrones and rainbows and strange symbolic objects. But nothing more compelling to me than the scene of people on thrones falling down before the One who sits on THE throne, and offering their crowns… their worship.