A Face in the Crowd

Have you ever went somewhere where there a ton of people?  I mean so many people that you couldn't stir a stick?
I have not been in that many crowds.  I never really went to concerts where there were throngs of people all pushed up against each other but I do have an imagination so I can fully see and realize what that would be like. 
Thousands of people crowded in one area to see an event that probably a lot of people had wanted to go to.  Some may have had tickets and due to unforeseen circumstances either couldn't make it or they simply changed their minds and didn't go.  How about those that wanted to go so badly but never made preparation to go and it simply came and went and afterwards they were like all bummed out because they had totally missed it.  Even worse are the ones that had no clue there was going to be an event.  The event of the century and found out about it later and were totally angry and upset that they had missed it.  There are even those that wanted to go but waited til the last minute to try and get in, but it was too late.  The doors were shut and there was no way anyone else could get in.  They were left on the outside angry at themselves for not getting there earlier while there was still time.
But then there were the ones that got in.  They were so psyched up about it.  They were all dressed alike.  They had all gotten a T-shirt in the lobby and had put it on before the event started.  There faces are shining with excitement as the event unfolds. 
There is someone with a camera who is taking pictures of the crowds.  He is looking out over the multitude and with a camera that takes like a thousand shots a minute he scans the crowds.  He doesn't see anyone that he recognizes.  He is just taking photos for the event.  Making memories for later on.  He has never seen so many people in one place before.  Someone walks up beside him and wants to know what these people in the crowd are so excited about.  He tells the stranger, don't you know, it is the event of the century.  This event will never take place again in their lifetime.  They were the lucky ones.  So they look at all the faces in the crowd.  But still they don't see a single soul that they recognize.  So they take a mental picture of each face.  It is an amazing thing.
One day there was a man named John.  He was a prisoner.  He was taken to an island.  It was called Patmos.  He was left there to die.  But God had plans for this man.  This was going to be a life changing event for him.
While John was on this island God started revealing Himself to him.  John was shown things that literally blew his mind.  He could not fathom what he was seeing.  He could not understand it.  Yet he wrote it down.  He had never seen some of the things that God was showing him so with limited knowledge he proceeded to try and explain the things he saw.  I am sure he thought no one would ever believe this even if they saw it themselves but yet he wrote it all down. 
It became real to him.  Alive to him.  And with every stroke of the pen he told what God was telling him and showing him.
One of the things was so amazing to him.
He was standing in an area where there was a multitude of people standing around.  They were crowded together.  A throng of people.  They were there for the Main Event of their lifetimes.  This event would never take place again.  They were standing shoulder to shoulder.  Their faces shown with radiance and they were all dressed alike.  They had been preparing for this Main Event for a long time.  Some had waited years and years for it.  They were wearing spotless robes of white.  They had all changed their garments before they were allowed in. 
He scanned the crowds.  He could see the countenance on each face as they worshipped the Main Event.  They were excited.  They could not contain themselves.
And yet sadly, there were those that had not made it inside.  Some had wanted to go, even thought they were ready to go, but when the time came they just weren't prepared.  They had not made enough preparation in advance.  Some had been ready but it seemed to take too long so they got busy doing other things and forgot.  They had filled their lives with smaller events hoping to fill that need, thinking that would be enough, but it never was.  Even worse, there were some that were standing on the outside banging on the doors, crying "Why didn't you tell us?"  Begging to be let in, but it is too late.   The doors have all been shut and there will be no one else let in.
As John looks out across the crowd he sees faces of people that he had never seen before.  Some he had heard of. 
There was that woman that Jesus had visited at the well.  She was there.  There was that little old money maker Zacchaeus.  He was there.  He was standing mighty tall there in that crowd.  And over in the Amen corner was the old woman that had been healed of the issue of blood and Bartmaeus, Jesus had healed him of his blindness.  Oh wait, standing over a little ways, it was the thief on the cross.  He was there and was wearing the same thing everyone else was.  So many he recognized.  So many he didn't.
Oh how I wonder about that day.  When he looked out across that multitude in that day did he see me?  Was I a face in the crowd that day?  Were you? 
If you could look out over that multitude of people would you see yourself? 
I wonder if when I get to heaven if in passing and John walks by me will he say, "Hey, I recognize you.  You were in the throng that day.  That multitude of people that were there surrounding the throne of the Lamb singing praises to the One true God,"  Will we "hi five" each other and smile with a knowing?
Oh dear Lord I want to be counted among those that were in the vision you gave John that day.  Let me be a face in the crowd.  The crowd of ones that are there to worship and glorify the Main Event.