Throw your crowns down

In Revelation the apostle John gets a vision of heaven. And in Chapter 4 he tells of about 24 elders who sit around the throne Of God, worshipping Him continually.
“Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
Whenever the living beings give glory and honour and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honour and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased.”” Revelation 4:8-11
How amazing is that? Here you have these 24 elders in heaven, so they must be pretty significant people to get that sort of title in heaven, and they have been given crowns, but at the sight of the Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, they take their crowns off and lay them down at his feet. The crowns that symbolise their position are pulled off and thrown down at the feet of God, for in His presence they realise that they are not worthy, and He is worthy of all that they value. He is worthy of all that they treasure. He is worthy of all that defines them.
How often do we lay our crowns at the throne of God? We may be good at leaving our sins at the foot of the Cross, but we tend to cling on to our crowns. We like glory. We like recognition. We like fame. We like success. We like wealth. But it is not ours to keep. We are not worthy. The Lord our God is worthy to receive glory and honour and power. Not us. God Almighty. The One who created all things.
Today, strive to lay your crowns at the foot of His throne. Let go of the things you value dearly. Surrender your talents to God’s care. Don’t place your hope in your own abilities. Don’t store up trophies and trinkets of material possessions at the expense of giving to God what is God’s. Don’t look to elevate yourself to a position of arrogant importance, but follow Christ’s example and be a humble servant of the King. Take off your crowns and don’t seek your own glory but seek to give glory to God today.

{image source: http://www.photo-dictionary.com/phrase/420/crown.html#b}