(Revelation 4:9–11 ESV)
And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
In this vision that Jesus gave John, we capture a scene in heaven where “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’”
Jesus promised various rewards for those who faithfully serve Him on earth (Matthew 5:12; 1 Corinthians 3:14; Revelation 22:12). Some of those rewards are crowns (James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 3:11).
While we certainly don’t work to earn our salvation, God’s approval, or spiritual affirmation, we should labor passionately and fervently to bring before Jesus the very best crown we could possibly lay at His feet.
Our salvation comes from grace alone; God’s unmerited favor (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is made possible only by the blood of Jesus and His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), and nothing of our human efforts. But Paul also exhorts us that grace “trains us” to live a life that honors God (Titus 2:12) and that we were “created” for good works (Ephesians 2:10). In that sense, grace should move us to give ourselves to the kind of works that honor God and bring much fame to the name of Jesus Christ.
As John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
I want this to be a staple in my life. How about you?