Standing Before The Glorious Throne

 


Standing Before the Glorious Throne

by Dan Kennedy

© 2012


Before me stood The Glorious Throne,

I pondered, queried all alone...

Should death grasp hold of life so fair?

To gently lift one through the air

And then release this soul from God

To stand alone at Judgment's bar?

Not so!


But, yes, the firm yet gentle hands

Compelled my soul to onward go

Down the gold, transparent streets,

Onward past the tree of life

Until before the very Throne of God I stood,

Cold and naked for all to see…

My life revealed --

This could not be...not so!


I shivered in the burning rays from that Great Throne.

They pierced me through.

They understood.  They knew.

The questions came.

They were not harsh or rude…

But given simply in compassion rare.

I could not answer.

Great weights paralyzed my being.

I could not fall down and weep,

Strong, giant angels held me up for all to see.


Then my tongue was loosed; I spoke.

"Oh God,"

My voice echoed through the massive chambers.

"Oh God,

I sought to live a life for You,

I tried so hard.

I prayed..."

On mentioning that word, a great look of

Compassion swept across His face.

"I did!"  I almost shouted.

-- He looked the same.

"Not so!"  I clenched my teeth in pain,

So faithless were my prayers.


My trembling hands were wet.  I tried again.

"Oh God, I worked so hard for You!

I gave up things and followed You…

Just look at the wonderful friends I left...

The jobs I took...the meager salaries...

The times we did without...

Oh, God, don't You see...Don't You see!"

He seemed to see.

He had a far away look in His eyes.


His lips moved, compassionately forming a single word.

"Always?"  He gently questioned.


"Always, Lord?  But... what do You expect?

I tried to give You every part of me...

I moved where You guided me to go,

and I tried to build Your Kingdom!

I...I gave You…everything!”


"Always?"  He echoed sadly in a whisper.

Suddenly I realized the hundreds of times…

No, the thousands of times

I went where I pleased and did as I wished.

Shame flooded my soul...

I looked into His piercing eyes.

They saw too!

"Not so, Lord, not so!"


Neither spoke; there was no more to say.

My life was bare -- every move was known.

I shook!  All the good I'd ever done was shown,

and what a pauper's fare!

My mind wandered, aimlessly searching for anything…

some good deed...

Something that would stand before THIS Throne.

My goodness was swallowed up in guilt;

My godliness was a crime!

Should I begin to state what value I had been to Him

Who was so pure, so genuine?  Not so!


Should I...but wait…


Did I not hear the innumerable voices of the redeemed?

Were their voices not joined by myriads and myriads of angels,

with all creation on the earth and under the earth,

and those in the sea, together with all the creatures in the heavens?

Innumerable voices with jubilant song, calls and cries,

shouts and sounds echoing throughout

the vast expanses of the universe!

Did not their voices split the air in magnificent chorus

where all creation glorified the Slain and Risen Lamb in one united, glorious anthem of praise and adoration?

"Thou art worthy!"  They sang!


The pure joy and excitement

emanating so spontaneously from all creation

caused the Great Judge to lift His eyes ever so slightly. 

He smiled, and then settled His eyes back on me.

"My dear, dear Child," He spoke tenderly,

"I purchased you.

I redeemed you and covered all your sins

with the blood I, Myself shed

to buy you back. 

I chose you to be Mine and you chose Me, to be yours. 

All your sins and painful hurts against Me I forgave;

I cleansed you and washed away from you, every stain."


He continued with words,

which gently spoke account after account

of how He had helped me and given me strength to do

that which I could never have done on my own.

How He had raised me up from the throes of despair

and had given me hope! 

How He supplied my needs time and time again

though my faith was so wavering and small.

How He nurtured me and helped me grow --

Countless stories with minute details I had long forgotten.

He remembered, yes, He remembered all.


Then with His hands He uncovered

a brilliant, golden crown from His robe… 

There were deep and ugly scars on those hands… 

I could see them clearly, as in amazement,

I saw those awfully pierced hands place

that gloriously brilliant crown on my head!


"For faithfulness," He simply said.

"For believing in Me with simple, childlike faith;

for accepting My redeeming Blood

to cover and cleanse your sin;

for leaving all; for following Me –

and looking for My coming…

I give to you a crown of life, righteousness, and glory

which will never, ever fade away.”


***


Friend, does it seem strange to you

that I should place my crown at His feet?