Worship – Forever?

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. 12 They said with a loud voice:

The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!

13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say:
Blessing and honor and glory and dominion
to the One seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5:11-14 (HCSB)

Worship. Giving homage, a manifestation of my love to my LORD. The apostle John seems to be telling me that my life in heaven will be about worship. So that would beg the question: Do I like to worship? If I do not, heaven may not seem like such a “wonderful place,” eh?

I love musical worship. Melodies and lyrics express so many emotions.
“LORD, I love You!”
“LORD, help me!”
“Jesus, You gave Your life for me. How can I thank You?”
“I need You more today than I did yesterday, Jesus.”
There’s so much that I lay at the feet of God in musical worship. It is always refreshing.

But worship is more than music. Proclaiming the Scripture is also worship. Do you remember in the Old Testament how Ezra stood and read the Scriptures for like 5-6 hours? And the people stood all during his reading! The promises, the beauty of the poetry, the power of God are all found in God’s Word and are certainly worship when I read them and commit them to my heart.

Sharing testimonies about what God is doing in our lives is also worship. These stories encourage, teach and, yes, even correct us. I do not know why we don’t have testimonies or “sharing” every time we gather. It is a wonderful thing to see others encouraged and even come to know Jesus through the simple telling of how God is active and living in someone’s life.

I have read this passage of Scripture several times. I have many pictures that run through my mind as I read the passage. What do you think heaven is going to be like? What do you think you will be doing in heaven for all time? I know it will be beautiful. The specifics of that beauty – that seems beyond what I can grasp. And what I will be doing? I don’t know but if I am with Jesus and so many that I love – I don’t really care! I am just so very grateful that I will be there! I’m going to spend some time in thankful worship …

I Can Only Imagine written and sung by MercyMe