There is an intriguing bit of Scripture in The Revelation, chapter 1, verses 16 and 17. The author, a lonely prisoner on the barren cliffs of Patmos, writes that he saw the glorified Christ, the one "who lives and was dead," who is "alive forevermore." "He had in his right hand seven stars," John writes, and, upon seeing him, "I fell down at his feet as one dead." Then, the very next word is this: "He laid his right hand on me."

His right hand - the hand with the seven stars in it! This hand he laid upon the shoulder of a troubled, trembling man. What of those stars? Well, he must have laid them aside somewhere. It must be an extremely important activity to hold seven stars in one's hand. But to hold these is not nearly so important to the Lord Christ as it is to touch with blessing a solitary human person who is bowed before him in adoration and awe.

Here is the kind of Lord we worship - one who can put aside the care of stars in order to care for one person who comes in reverence to him. Know this, dear friend: whatever else in the whole universe may be of concern to our Lord just now, nothing is more important to him than you are. As you bow before him, know that his hand of pardon and peace is resting with blessing upon your shoulder.