The 25th Elder

Every minute Jesus is interceding. Every moment those surrounding the throne are worshipping the living God. The throne room never stops. It never silences. It never gets distracted or loses focus. In Revelation 4 we get a small glimpse of what is happening in Heaven. We learn about weird creatures that have eyes all around, elders who can't stay on their feet, a sea of glass in front of a giant throne, a glorious rainbow and melodies directed at the Creator of all and it never stops. When we sleep, when we eat, when we are busy worrying about the weariness in our hearts, Jesus is still there at the right hand of the Ancient of Days interceding on behalf of His inheritance, His people--speaking my name. Those creatures eyes never turn from gazing upon the One with eyes of fire and the elders never cease to fall down over the revelation of His beauty. They are constantly preparing for the time when the spiritual realm and and natural meet to overcome darkness for forever and yet in this world so many hours are spent wasting life away. How much of our lives are wasted on meaningless things. How many conversations with Jesus do we miss out on because we are too busy stressing at work, fighting in relationships, standing in another freakin line in the supposed Happiest place on earth; we never realize how much the little things add up. 

For two months I have not been able to get the 24 elders out of my mind. They fall over and over again and never get tired. Every time they fall, they worship Jesus, get back up, then something else about Him amazes them, so they fall again. I know I've probably used this same idea in posts before, but I offer no apologies to my repetition. In fact what I am learning is that God’s Kingdom is repetitive. It is all about love. All questions and statements about God traces back to one truth: everything that He has done, is doing, and will do is for the sake of love. That little beast of a four letter word is in every part of His plan and God uses it to captivate the hearts of His elect. This is why as believers we do what we do. We enter into day and night prayer because He loves us. We love others because He loves us. We lay down our fleshy desires because He loves us and we want to love Him back. He created us for relationship, for communication with His heart, for us to sing a song to Heaven. 
The elders teach us something about prayer and worship. It's interesting that those currently closest to the throne room are ones that are in day and night prayer and worship. I 100% believe that we are called to pursue a sermon on the mount lifestyle striving to be like Jesus, but in that we can also learn something from these elders. The throne room is not a futuristic idea; it is not a room that will be made one day, but one with current movement that has been from the beginning of creation. We are not given Revelation 4 as just a "heads up" for what will soon happen, but as an example of what prayer and worship should look like in the eyes of the Lord. Of course we are still living in bodies that require food and sleep hindering us from accomplishing literal 24/7, day and night worship, but we are called to a daily prayer life. Luke 18:7-8 says that "God will bring about justice for His elect who cry it to Him day and night..." He built His kingdom atop communion with His creation. He values the daily process of seeking after Him. His heart is moved when we respond back to His voice. When we give up everything, no matter the price, and join the chase to His heart. He enjoys when we listen to Jesus' cry for us to deny ourselves, to daily take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). The more we engage with Him the more intimate of a relationship we have with Him.
In Revelation 2 Jesus proclaims to the Church of Ephesus that He has seen “[their] works…and patience endurance and how [they] cannot bear with those that are evil” but He has one thing against them that they "have abandoned [their] first love" (Revelation 2:2-4). Good works, ministry, even corporate worship means nothing if we do not love Jesus with all of us (or at least attempt to). Without practicing the first commandment our prayers and worship become noise; a friend of mine calls it “lip service.” At the end of the age when Jesus returns I do not want to stand before Him and Him tell me He does not know me. I do not want a life wasted, a life of meaningless lip-service. We are all given different ministry callings and people to love on each other, but His first hope is that we will love Him even when no one else is around. To God, love is sacrifice. He sent His son to die for our sins so that we are able to dwell with Him forever. He wants us to die to ourselves and put on the breastplate of Christ. This life is about community, yes, but the root is a deep, personal relationship with the Maker. He is jealous for our voluntary love—choosing Him even when the world presents alternative plans.
Those surrounding Jesus in Heaven break by just looking at Him. They fall because they can't get enough of who He is. They are in so much awe over His beauty they can't stay on their feet. I want to be this moved by Him. When His presence touches me, even the slightest bit I want to be forever changed by it—a new creation He continues to make new again through His love. I want to literally fall down like the 24 elders--become number 25. It may sound crazy, but knowing that my body literally loses all strength and control when experiencing revelation of His glory is beautiful and it is what I am after. Imagine the testimony that comes from randomly falling down at work or when in line at the grocery store--people will ask what happened and the answer can be, " it was the presence of the Lord." I am after a lifestyle of forever saying yes to Jesus and His kingdom—laying down everything in order to follow His plans. I want an intimate and constant conversation with Jesus—a personal phone line connected to His heart.  If other Jesus seekers and worship music, even the prayer room was taken away, I want to be a child still seeking after my Father. When no one sees me, I want to dwell in His presence and spend time with Him. I desire a relationship that makes me unshakeable amongst the flesh. Forever I wish to sit and commune with the Man that plucked me out of darkness and gave me a spot in His inheritance. I want to be wrecked by the sight of His glory because His presence sustains me, His voice is my heart beat, and by His desire I will live forever, joining in with the song in Heaven that has never stopped.