Often as I attempt to share about biblical worship, I wish we could have just 5 minutes in heaven to see what real worship is going to be like. In my mind’s eye I can envision closing my eyes to the realities around me and opening them again to the breath-taking sights and sounds of the eternal presence of God Almighty.
A hushed awe of the beauty of His holiness surrounds everything as far as the eye can see, and it can see farther, and clearer than anything earthly sight allows. His holy presence illuminates everything and the brightness of His glory emanates from the central throne where countless myriads of believers encircle in an endless chorus of worship. The golden streets and pearl gates are but shadowy images, compared to the magnetic-like attraction that draws my attention to the Lamb seated in authority.
An unexplainable sense of completeness floods my memory as the stories of Scripture come alive with the “rightness” of how they fit together. The depth of the love of God inundates my being, and His eternal plan to restore a fallen creation back to Himself becomes as clear as a mist that fades away in the morning. I am overwhelmed by the awesomeness of His grace and the forgiveness of my sin. My thoughts are not on my own desires, nor what others might think, but shear gratitude as I fall to my knees in adoration. I can only cry out in worship, no other thoughts fill my heart.
As I was sharing this with my wife, Kathy, she reminded me that if we really could just see what worship was like in heaven there would be no room for faith. He has commanded us to worship Him whether or not we fully understand or feel like doing so. What God has shared with us in His Word is what we need now and we must trust Him and what He says: faith is not sight.
In my desire to have my students really have a glimpse of the worship of heaven, I must help them realize that we must continue to study and believe what will be a reality then. Worship is that obedient response to the revealed nature and character of God and faith links us with that reality.
