So John the not-pansy was weeping because no one could be found to open the scroll and its seven seals.  Oh, I should mention that he’s “in the spirit” (meaning as I understand it dreaming but really guided by the Holy Spirit to reveal a prophecy) and sees this scroll in God’s very hand that no one can be found to read.  Later on we find that this scroll contains all the judgments that are to come when God makes the world new, sometimes called the tribulation.  So, John is weeping because no one can open it.

Finally we come to my point.  I believe that maybe this scroll was so obviously not just a scroll, but that the entirety of human existence depended on that scroll being read.  If that scroll stayed sealed, then God’s judgment would be stopped up and the world would never know its Maker like it is designed to.  Why would we exist in that scenario.

Then Revalation 5:5.  Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Rood of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.  In the infinite scale, God’s purposes will not be thwarted.  Glory to God!

Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

Most people just don’t seem to get the truly awesomeness of this. I mean, this is like something that God would say if He were riding on a Harley made of a tornado and lightning. Pardon my french, but saying “gird your loins like a man, because I’m about to ask you something, wise-guy” right then is the most badassed thing I think anyone in the existence of the universe could say. Let’s just imagine that happening now to truly understand what’s going on here.

Look outside. If you are outside now, look up to the sky. Hopefully it’s a nice, blue sky with maybe a cloud of two. Ok, done with that? Got a good picture of a nice blue sky in your mind?

Now, imagine all the clouds in the sky growing and spreading to cover everything you see in literally two seconds. The winds are swirling so hard you have to cover your face with your hand, but that doesn’t quite cover everywhere. Flecks of dirt kick up from the ground to pinch your face in the cracks between your fingers.

You squint your eyes against the raging tornado in your back lawn but that doesn’t really help, now does it? Running inside is also out of the question; trying to outrun the Deity of the universe seems rather silly, doesn’t it? So you stand there, just trying to keep upright when a voice commands you “Gird you loins!”

Oh that voice. You’ve known it your whole life, but have never heard it before. It’s not the normal hearing either. It sounds from all around you, inside your body, from your heart to your head. It itches the bone on the inside of your skull. If it weren’t for the tone in the voice you’d love it, and love life, but instead you have to change your loin girdings because you know you can’t respond to anything God demands. Who could?

So, back to God commanding you to gird your loins, he follows that up with “because I’m about to ask you something, and since you’re so wise you can enlighten me.” Wisely you decide to leave your tongue numb. There’s nothing you can say as you finally realize what it means that He is God and you are small. He made the universe and there’s nothing you can do to even make a dent in it.

All right, wasn’t that fun? Go outside again, I promise it’ll still be a bright day. Just remember God is the original rebel, the original individual, the original James Dean. Having said all that, there are still things I don’t understand. I don’t know why, or how, God can exist in a sinful universe, but I know he does. And I know I can’t answer any of the questions God asked Job, so I think I too will keep my tongue numb.

Among other things (namely greed), I’d say it’s because people want to be great. Being great is a good thing, especially when it’s part of a greater plan, but there seems to be a myth people can carry with them from junior high about being great. Just like hanging out with the cool kids can make you cool, some people think that buying great things can make you great. Hate to burst your bubble, but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Mercedes Benz’s, Rolexes, and even KitchenAid dishwashers are great in their own rights. They are crafted with care and have earned valued reputations for greatness. But, despite the high price to own them, they say absolutely nothing about their owner. Of course, the owner’s choice says something, their color preference, their preference of styling, what they may value, but it does not say anthing about how great of a person they are. Just because you own something that is really cool doesn’t mean that you are cool.

In my personal life, I have just come to the following conclusion; if you can picture yourself with something else and still feel as good about yourself, then you’re ok. That is, if you can picture youself in a car with the same performance as a Mustang as being just as cool as with another car, then you’re looking at the Mustang in the correct way. It’s ok to like the performance or style of a Mustang over other cars, it’s just not ok to like yourself in a Mustang over other cars.

Bottom line, there is no way to buy greatness. Greatness can only come from being part of a greater plan; God’s plan.