Updated Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Bible Studies for Life lesson for July 6: Who's Really in Charge

By Jim Baldwin

Focal Passage: Rev. 5:1-14

When my children were still young, they discovered the board game, "The Game of Life." As I watched them play for the first time I was totally confused. I could not figure out why they got so excited over a certain spin of the wheel, or why they had to hand over thousands of dollars.

You see, I had not read the instructions and did not understand the rules. It was all a mystery to me.

Many people find themselves feeling very much the same way about "real life." They feel like they are moving across a gigantic board where they are forced to make decisions and take steps, but they are not sure where they are headed nor how to get there.

As John steps into the throne room of God he sees the Lord seated on His throne and holding a scroll in His hand. The scroll tells of the coming judgment on sin and evil, but it also tells of God's protection over His people.

But the scroll is sealed, and no one on earth is worthy to open it. In this passage are the answers to some of life's questions.

Why can I not see God? John was told, "See the Lion." But he could not see a Lion: All he could see was a Lamb. Only when he was able to stop weeping could he see that the Lion and the Lamb were the same. It is normal and natural for us to grieve over loss and disappointment. But the Bible instructs us not to grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). I asked a somber young man one day, "How are you doing?"

"Pretty good, under the circumstances," he replied.

So I asked him, "What are you doing under the circumstances? We are told that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!" We have to lift up our eyes so that, even through our tears, we can see Jesus.

Why does God not hear my prayers? John's vision of heaven makes it clear that God does hear our prayers. As the Lamb takes the scroll from the hand of God, the 24 elders present bowls full of incense, "which are the prayers of the saints." Even though you may feel that your prayers "never get higher than the ceiling," here we have confirmation that they rise up to the throne of God. Rev. 8:3 tells us that all of heaven stands still so that God can listen to your prayers.