THE WAY UP IS DOWN

Revelation 5:6 “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne.”

Here are some of my favorite oxymorons: artificial grass, boneless ribs, big town, harmless lie, communist party, green oranges, easy labor, fresh frozen, jumbo shrimp, cafeteria food, military intelligence, one choice, random order, slumber party, freezer burn, small fortune, government organization, living dead, same difference, plastic glasses, peace force, pretty ugly, head butt, working vacation, Dodge Ram, work party, healthy tan, good grief, and devout atheist.

Chapter 5 of the book of Revelation gives us another oxymoron. Something that sounds impossible, but yet it is still true. We see a lion that is a lamb. Two very opposite things, but yet in Christ they are the same. The first part of Revelation 5 is a picture of heaven. God is sitting on a throne, and in his hand is a scroll. Not just any scroll. It was double-sided, and super-sealed. This scroll was full, with room for nothing else to be added. And, it was closed tightly, so that no-one could open it. Most Bible scholars think that this scroll represents God’s plans and purposes for the world. This scroll contains what God wants to see happen, and will see happen. And no one knows what these plans are. They are sealed. And since the scroll is double-sided, scholars take it to mean that the plans are made in full. Nothing surprises God. So then, these perfect plans and purposes of God, they are complete, and no-one knows what they are.

You know, we wish we knew what God had in store for us. We wish we could see his plans. But as frustrating as that is, be confident in one thing: God knows his plans. He knows what’s in store for us. He can see the beginning from the end. He knows exactly what’s coming up. He knows what he’s doing. Does it sometimes look like he doesn’t? Yes. But take heart. He will reveal himself to you in due time.

But the problem is, we want to be in control of things. We want to know. We want to be in charge of our own lives. We want to be able to make our own decisions. We want to sit on the throne. None of us are worthy to be in control of our own destiny. No one is good enough to be in control. As I’ve said before, I wouldn’t be a very good God.

That’s maddening at times. We wish we could just take control of our own lives but we can’t. We mess things up. Whenever we try to take control, we make messes. That’s why peace treaties fail. That’s why marriages fail. That’s why churches split. That’s why there is prejudice and pride, adultery and abortions. Because mankind thinks he can control his own life and future. But it just leads to pain and suffering and messes.

One day Jesus will return to earth as the conquering king. Someday he will bring all of the earth into submission to his plans. But until then, Jesus invades our planet by invading our hearts. I mean, we would love to have him conquer all the sin “out there” now. To storm in like a lion and kick all the evil out. But, as the lamb, he would rather deal with the sin within our hearts. His plans for your life include getting you straightened up, getting you submissive to his plans, getting you to say “yes”, and then using you to go out and help defeat the evil, one person at a time. That’s why he died for you and me.

Submission to God is tough. It isn’t easy to put his plans ahead of ours, his priorities ahead of ours, and his desires ahead of ours. It isn’t always easy to say “yes”. And so we try to reign ourselves, to rule ourselves, to be in charge of our own lives. But if we would only wait and let God’s plans unfold, we would find a much longer lasting reward. An untainted reward with no lingering guilt or emptiness. A reward that lasts longer than however many years we live on this earth. A reward that will not fade away.

Just as John may have been surprised to see a lamb when he expected a lion, we must understand that the best way to go up is to humble down. Allow him to control your life and you will find elevation beyond your greatest hopes.