The other night, I was going through a box of old items from my childhood and I found my old CD binder. Instantly I was thrilled. Nostalgic waves crashed over me with each CD I uncovered. Every album title brought memories of middle school dances, high school football games and teen-angst rushing back. When I got to the 3rd sheet, I saw what I can only describe as my first guilty pleasure album (sorry T-swift). Spice Girls “Forever,” Laugh away, but it was my jam in the 4th grade and I listened to it non-stop. I listened to it so much that I actually wore out the CD and it would skip every time when it got to the same spot in the same song…
“I wanna… I wanna…. I wanna… I wanna… I wannna…. I wanna”
It would repeat and repeat and repeat until I stopped the CD player and went to a new song. For as much as I loved that album and that song, that skipping, that repeating “I wanna” would aggravate me. Not only would it aggravate me, but it eventually ruined the album that I once loved.
Isn’t that like life though? We start something we love, say a new job, but eventually we grow tired of it. Or maybe its a new relationship, or a new church, or a new connect group, but once the initial thrill of having something new is over, we grow tired of the same thing.
I’ll admit, it’s exhausting doing the same thing over and over again. Exhaustion can be dangerous for us, but, I think, what is even more dangerous is boredom… Our lives as Christians are meant to be anything but boring.
“Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.’
Revelation 4:8
Here in Revelations 4, we see the Cherubim (look them up if you want your mind blown) repeating their praise to God. Day and night they do this, never ceasing! To be completely honest, there are times that I read this and wonder, “how in the world do they not get tired of doing the same thing over, and over, and over, and…” well, you get the point.
Personally, I get tired of a new song after listening to it three times. Or even eating the same dinner the next day as left overs. I want new. I want exciting. I crave different. What is exciting about repeatedly doing the same thing over and over again?! Nothing, that’s what’s exciting about it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets bored with repetition.
The thing is, we aren’t called to live this way. I’m not saying that we aren’t called to live in a cycle of repetition. I believe that it is our repetition that builds our reputation (more on this later). Lets face it… our lives will be filled with repetition and there is nothing we can do about it short or quitting our jobs, selling our belongings, buying a van and following around the Grateful Dead on their revival tour… Yes, I’ve thought about it more than once…. but that’s not the point….
I believe that God created us for repetition, and it is within our repetition that we find our sense of responsibility and humans need responsibility for our souls to be healthy. I believe that we aren’t called to a life where we grow tired of doing the same thing over and over again, and what we see in Revelations 4 is key!
How could they continue to praise over and over again?? How could they say the same thing constantly, without break, and not want to switch it up or run away?
You see, I believe that they were able to continually repeat their praise because with every repetition they had a new revelation of who God is. Every time that they circled the throne they had a new revelation of who God is and saw His glory and splendor from a new perspective. It is this that allows them to continually praise our King with the same passion and humility as the time before.
“That’s great Josh, but they’re in Heaven and I’m, well.. here on earth… how does this apply to me?”
When we continue to have revelations about God we are able to approach our individual patterns with passion. We come to know our Creator at a deeper level, and it is our relationship and understanding of who He is that that gives us fresh perspective each day to step into our own individual life cycles and carry the same attitude of praise of those encircling His throne.
We can only live as we are called from our most recent revelation. What is your revelation today?
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