I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with agolden sash around his chest. ~ Revelation 1:12, 13
READING: Revelation 1:12-20
On the day after our church went public, my daily Bible reading landed me in Revelation 1. I had anticipated the launch for months. There is always a letdown after a major event, so I asked God to encourage me.
Revelation opens with an encounter with the Risen Christ. In heaven today, Jesus is so awesome and powerful that John actually fell at his feet as though dead. “Here is a God worth serving!” I decided. I had my encouragement for the day! I worshiped Jesus as he is pictured here in this passage.
As I closed my Bible, the Lord whispered to me, “Hal, notice where I am in this picture.”
“You’re walking among the lampstands in heaven, Lord.”
“Yes, and how did those lampstands get there?”
Instantly it struck me – one of the most encouraging revelations of my life. The lampstands of Revelation 1 are lights in heaven that shine to God’s glory. They are real objects. Jesus walks among them, receiving honor from their flicker and glow. According to Revelation 1:20, these lampstands represent churches on earth – churches planted by people like me and my team.
Only church planters get the privilege of lighting a candle in heaven. From my brief conversation with the Lord that day, I concluded that there is no greater privilege than being called by God to plant a church for his glory.
Lord, Thank you for using someone like me to plant a church to reach the lost on earth and light a candle in heaven to give you glory. Amen.
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