The One to Focus On

12.29.14

Have you ever suddenly gotten a compulsion to worship someone or something? Maybe you didn't think of it as worship. But you knew you were drawn to them and admired them--whatever (or whoever) it might be.

Whenever this occurs, we tend to sink ourselves into seeking. Or we invest major time and energy into pursuing. In John's vision in Revelation, John himself gets a sudden compulsion to fall down at the feet of an angel. Maybe you've at some point, literally or figuratively, fallen down at the feet of someone or something.

The angel's response is instructive. "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you." To paraphrase, "As amazing as I may seem to you," the angel tells John, "Jesus is the one to focus on. I'm nothing more than his servant."

That's why Jesus is the one we talk about. He is the one we glorify. He is the one we praise and worship. He is the one we testify about and he is the one for whom we bear witness. Everyone and everything else is designed to serve him: "Then I (John) fell down at his feet to worship him (the angel), but he said to me, 'You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.' For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10, ESV).

Lord, as the angel reminded John of who is at the center of our worship and our proclamation, please send your Spirit through your word to remind me of the same!

Our reading for Monday, December 29, is Zechariah 10:1 - 12:9, Psalm 149:1-5, Proverbs 30:32-33 and Revelation 19:1-21.