Hi, Zane.
According to the record, it looks like it’s been 10 days since my last posting of a devotional. The main reason for silence is the volume of sickness we’ve had to face around here. The good news is that we’re on the back side of it now.
I need to get out there to make sawdust with the mill. Lots of work—especially now with all the down time we’ve had to endure. Hope you have a great day. And make sure you join in the rejoicing we describe below.
Love and prayers—Tua (Ray)
I’m choosing to narrow my focus to processing one basic question: WHY ARE THOSE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ANGELS SO JOYFUL?
I’ve never been an angel before. I’ve never met or talked to an angel—not that I know of anyway. All I can do is draw some insights from the Word, use my imagination, and speculate. I am inclined to conclude that the angels are united in joyful service to God mainly because they are equipped with supernatural abilities to see the bigger picture and are excited about their being on the winning side of the cosmic conflict—perhaps totally overwhelmed at the goodness, grace, and creative wisdom of their Sovereign Lord.
I believe that the Bible, God’s Word, is evidence of His supernatural effort to equip seeking humans to see the big picture too—at least in adequate measure—allowing us to also be joyful in the gracious opportunity afforded us to participate on the winning side. Please take advantage of this big-picture provision and don’t allow yourself to get so narrow-minded, pin-headed, and tripped up by all the stupid trivial and temporal stuff of this world, like so many do, that you neglect to follow the angel’s lead, to join not only with the angels, but with those thousands upon thousands of saints as described in Revelation 19:6-7 who shout, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.” And who’s the bride? The verse following the FOCUS verse answers that question—“The church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven” (v. 23). It’s the collective body of all individuals (like you and me) who have “fallen in love” with their Maker—who have nurtured A HEART AFTER GOD.