The Seven Tributes

UV 772/10,000 The Seven Tributes Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Revelation 5 v 12 Our net worth should determine our network. What we believe determines who we are. Further, who we are determines who we know. When we know Jesus, the Lamb that was slain for our sake we are in the network of the Trinity. We have been purchased or ransomed from captivity of the Evil one by His blemishless sacrifice. Now, we are in the presence of the Holy of Holies and we bring seven tributes of worship to the Lamb who is now Lord. The words “ worth, worship, word, work” –all have the common root “ wor” indicating how they are related to each other. Our true worth is determined by who we worship. When we join the chorus of the angels to offer power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing to the Lord, we too become worthy to share in these by grace. Even as we keep giving of these, we keep receiving from the river of God. Jesus is the reservoir of power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour , glory and blessing. Each of the beatitudes that He spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount is fulfilled in each of us when we believe the Word and receive Jesus. We now become tributaries to flow with the power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing. The seven colours of the rainbow symbolise these seven tributes to the Lord. They should not remain mere words but manifestations in our lives of the grace and glory of God. Every day in our lives the Word is at work. In every area of our lives, the Word is at work. The Word is at once both spiritual and practical. In practical ways, are we exercising the spiritual power of Jesus, the spiritual riches of Jesus, the spiritual wisdom of Jesus, the spiritual strength of Jesus? We need power to face the giants as the Israelites in the land of Canaan. We need riches to meet our spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social, physical and financial need. We need wisdom to make right choices. We need strength to face our challenges and to endure. We need blessing to succeed. When we do all this faithfully, we bring glory and honour to the Lord. Are we bringing honour and glory to Him? Are we both a recipient and a source of blessing? We need to believe to receive and we need to receive in order to give. If the answer is “yes”, then we are a rainbow of God to mankind in the flood of troubles- a symbol of His covenant of faithfulness for all times. Prateep V Philip