Cast Your Crown
Okay, so this may sound random but I love a good Historical Romance Drama, -also known as Period Dramas. It's my favorite television genre!
Elegant socials. Over the top dresses. Men courting their future bride. Love. Castles. And to top it off; a crown.
In most cases, an overlooked, underrated girl finds love and is crowned Queen, Dutches, or some type of royal title as a result of who she marries. And although I’m on the other side of the TV screen, it’s still a win for me! Not to mention I love, love. In those days, the primary way the woman would honor her husband, the marriage and the crown was to commit to the duty of delivering a male heir to continue on the family legacy. Love. Crowns. And honor.
Although these Historical Dramas are often fictional, there is a similar, but very real concept in the Word of God. The book of Revelation is probably the most supernatural book in the entire Bible. It consists of a foretaste of heaven and so many other mysteries and revelations. Unlike the Period Dramas; the Bible’s description of Heaven is real yet more glorious than our human minds can even conceive. Nonetheless, God still uses His Word to give us a glimpse of our life in Eternity. And boy is it infinitely better there, than the best life here on earth.
Scripture describes the Lord as our King and our Groom. Heaven being full of light and full of God’s glory, which is His excellence. Instead of castles, there are mansions prepared by Him awaiting those who’ve received Jesus Christ. They’ll be treasures to be received for our good works. Our godly inheritance as sons & daughters. Roads paved of gold and gates made of pearl. However, even in all of Heaven’s magnificence, still none of it outweighs God Himself. When we arrive there, it won’t be our mansion, our title as bride or our treasures that we will be consumed with, but rather God Almighty. Face to face, beholding His beauty.
Think of the last time God really revealed Himself to you. A time when you’ve truly witnessed His goodness towards you and as a result love and gratitude overwhelmed you. Maybe it was the time you received His healing and provision, experienced His presence in a time of loneliness, gotten His deliverance from a bad situation or just simply felt His love in the midst of heartbreak. After a while, Who He is to You superseded what He did for you. His character is unbelievably good and the more we walk with Him, we come to a point where the blessings are nothing compared to His glory being revealed to us personally. Both here on earth and in Heaven.
This was the case for the twenty-four elders in Heaven, found in Revelation 4. They’d received crowns of gold personally from God but while in His presence, they realized those crowns did not compare to His goodness. So scripture says that they casted their crowns before Him, laying them at His feet. To make it plain: What God gave them, they honored Him by giving it back to Him.
Revelation 4:10-11 reads:
10 the twenty-four elders fell facedown before the one seated on the throne and they worshiped the one who lives forever and ever. And they surrendered their crowns before the throne, singing:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory, honor, and power,
for you created all things,
and for your pleasure they were created and exist.”
This is a beautiful picture of surrender and heavenly worship. The very thing that is taking place in the heavenly realm now. Not from a place of obligation but a place of adoration. The elder’s casts their crowns before the King in Heaven. Women of royalty casts their crowns by making it a duty to produce an heir for their king. How about us? What is your response to THE King of Kings? Is it a heart postured in worship, adoration and gratitude? Or do you take the crown of favor & grace to exalt yourself as king? It doesn’t take going to Heaven to realize what the elders proclaimed in verse 11. We know God is so worthy of all glory, honor and power. But are we living lives that reflect that? If not, today is a great day to start!
The very crown that our King gives you, can you cast it before Him? That marriage He blessed you with, those kids He entrusted to you, the home, the job, that talent He empowered you to possess, the influence and favor He allowed you to have in the sight of people, the very breath in your body, all the things He’s given you; will you take it and in turn honor Him with it? Will you surrender your crowns, so that He receives the glory out of your life?
After all, He is the Creator of all things. Nothing is too small or insignificant to put it His hands, sis. What we think is small, God thinks is beautiful and puts His glory on it. Every single time we give it to Him, He gives it back more glorified. Even as it pertains to casting ourselves at His feet. May we come to a place of humble willingness, such as the elders. They did not just casually come before Yahweh. Verse 10 relays that the elders in Heaven, fell facedown and worshiped the Everlasting One, seated on the throne.
Likewise, when we get a glimpse of Who He really is, His holiness, and His heart for imperfect beings like us; our approach towards Him will never be void of reverence again. When we cast our crowns, everything pales in comparison to His glory. Life is no Period Romance Drama. It’s real and what we do with what has been given to us matters. God gives us crowns in the form of so many things here on earth. And though this is but a glimpse of Heaven, we can start right here, right now casting those crowns at His feet for His glory and our good!
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that is true. Thank You for showing us the great mysteries we can look forward to in Heaven. Let us not delay in worshiping You with our very lives here on earth. Forgive us for where we’ve been wrestling with you and holding on to our crown… The very crown You gave us. Reveal any areas of our lives that we need to surrender to You and empower us to do so. Ignite us with Your fire and Holy Spirit, that we may be captivated by You. Give us fresh sight, a clean heart and a renewed mind that we may behold Your beauty, splendor and glory. We want to live lives that reflect Your goodness. We want to humbly lay ourselves at Your feet like the elders so drench us in Your marvelous presence. We cast our crowns now and what You gave us, we give it back to You. Beautify it with Your glory, Holy God. You are so worthy.
In Jesus’s name, amen.
