The four living creatures lead the way in worshipping the Father. Whenever they worship God the twenty-four elders follow suit and therefore they too worship God night and day.
The first thing in worship, the first personal act in worship, is self-humbling before the Lord, self-humbling before the Lord. Yield to him, submit to him, bow to him in your heart. Honour him, fall down before him. That is so vital. You cannot worship any other way. You don’t have to fall down physically, but you have to fall down in your soul, in your heart, or you can’t worship. ‘They fell down before him and worship him.
Worship will be the eternal occupation of heaven. It will be an occupation that fills our souls with joy, that leaves no room for any fear or shadow of disappointment. We will know deep in our hearts that our God is good, that he is love itself, that to praise him is our greatest possible occupation, that we will never tire of learning new wonders about him. We will find that the Lord totally satisfies our being. The human heart has a vast appetite for security, for future security, for a meaningful context in which to exist, for love: to be loved by one who has sufficient power to express that love. We are constitutionally children in need of a heavenly Father. We are made to need his affection and care. How could such dependent beings as we are, exist in isolation from him?
We cast our crowns before him. ‘When I switch jobs next’, we say to ourselves, ‘I shall not determine what I do on the basis of what I would like, or what would make the most money, or what would make me look best. I will seek the wisdom of God, a guiding hand from on high, and where he would desire to place me. I will be at his disposal in his hands. I’ll cast my crown before him.’
Why is it that worship so satisfies our being and is the greatest act that human nature can aspire to? Because it expresses our total confidence in God and certainty that he will not let us down. Because it focuses our minds on the one who has life in himself and not derived from any other, who is the source of all good, and who freely gives good gifts to his children. How blessed is that confidence in God that whatever happens God will lead us and provide for us. Sometimes that confidence cannot be reached without passing through great trials.