Is He Worthy?

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  — Revelation 5:2

So I’ve had this recurring dream for a while now.  In the dream, I see a newspaper with the headline, “Who is worthy to break the seals?”  Right under it is a picture of me.  The words to the actual article are always blurred and I can’t read them. I panic because I think that people will look at this and think that I am worthy.  I am hyperaware that I am not.  Yet, in the dream, I can never think of who is.  While I am dreaming, I do not know that the answer is Jesus.  As soon as I wake up, I know the answer and wonder why in the world that I don’t know the answer while I am dreaming.

As I have pondered the dream, I have come to the conclusion that my picture underneath represents American preachers.  In America, somehow we have allowed preachers to become like rock stars.  The average person who calls himself or herself a Christian in America looks to these preachers for the majority of their spiritual nourishment.  Congregations hear message after message loaded with entertainment, loaded with “points,” loaded with “nuggets of wisdom,” but loaded with very little proclamation of the greatness of our God.  American Christians in general do not read their Bibles of which the overall premise is the worthiness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It is His blood, and His blood alone that cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  I believe this is why the words to the article in my dream were blurred.  People couldn’t or wouldn’t read the explanation; they just assume that the preacher is worthy to tell them everything they need.

In the Bible, John weeps and weeps because he does not know anyone worthy.  In my dream, I don’t weep.  I simply just hate the fact that people will believe that the answer is me and I do not want people to think that.  I wish when I was having the dream that it bothered me like it bothered John. He was so distraught that there was no one found worthy.

While John is feeling hopeless and thinking there is no one worthy to open this scroll, an elder comes to him and comforts him.  He tells Him that the Lamb who was slain is worthy and John is comforted because he sees with his own eyes Jesus come and break the seven seals on the scroll.  He then hears with his own ears a worship eruption in heaven.  He sees just how worthy Jesus is.

I am praying this morning that I would be like that elder who comforted John by giving him the answer of all answers.  In fact, I pray this for all preachers and Christians in general who know the answer. We live in a world where almost everyone flocks to God when they need something, but rarely see His daily worth.  I am aware right now that I don’t know a fraction of His worth.  When I am dreaming, I can’t even think of Him as the answer to the question, “Is He worthy?”

Lord, I don’t even feel like I have a clue right now.  I want to be like that elder who is so confident in the worthiness of Jesus.  I want to hear the Name above all Names and weep often.  I want to be filled with joy unspeakable at Your Name.  I feel this in church services sometimes, but in life in general let me simply think of Your Name and let it fill me with wonder and awe. Forgive me for treating Your Name as any other name.  Forgive me for allowing myself to hear Your Name taken in vain and it not bother me. Cleanse me.  Fill me.  Create in me a clean heart and a new mind that understands just how wonderful you are. Amen.