REVELATION 5:1-10

Have you ever been…

so full of love that you burst out singing?

so overjoyed that you could not help but laugh?

so grieved that all you could do was sob?

so overwhelmed that you could not stand up?

God has made us – heart, mind, soul and body – to respond to Him.

Read and respond to God in Rev. 5:1-10:

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

What do you weep over? What do you see that causes you to despair? What feels impossible? Cry to God.

Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Cup your hands like a bowl. Offer your prayers of thanks to God:

For his triumph and for his salvation through Jesus, the Lion of Judah, the Lamb who was slain

For his Spirit, who is present for us

For all the people of God who pray

For hearing our prayers

And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”

Sing a song to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb! Sing a song that someone else wrote! Sing a song from your heart that no one has every heard! Or use the words from Rev. 5 to loudly praise to our God!

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

You, too.

Written by Becky Stephen

Click Here to Download Week 4 Prayer Guide: Sun Dec 20-Fri Dec 25

Scripture Reading

Luke 2: 1-20

“About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel. There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger. At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises: Glory to God in the heavenly heights. Peace to all men and women on earth who please him. As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!”

[Excerpted from Eugene Peterson’s, The Message]

The story is familiar, and the words from Luke 2 ring in our ears like the well-known voice of a loved one or lyrics from our favorite song. And when the angelic choir opens up to sing their song, God’s promise of shalom pours out onto a world in dire need: Glory to God in the heavenly heights. Peace to all men and women on earth who please Him. Through the birth of Christ, God births His plan to restore peace and shalom to the world, and it is that promise that we remember during this season of Advent. Today, thank God that through Christ we are given all  that we could possibly need to cultivate shalom.

Praise God for

• the Story of Christ’s birth, and the chance we have to be a part of the Story of shalom each and every day of our lives

Imagine

• that you were a part of that first heavenly host, proclaiming “Glory to God in the Heavenly Heights,” and consider how you might proclaim that same Glory to God in your life today, on Christmas and in every day following

Pray

• that you might experience the promise of shalom in your own life, that it might inspire and motivate you to live out that promise in your home, work, relationships and most of all, in your heart

Written by Mariah Lefeber

Click Here to Download Week 4 Prayer Guide: Sun Dec 20-Fri Dec 25