God's Presence: Not So "Cool"

We are far too frivolous in how we approach the God of the Bible...  The One who inspires fear and trembling to those who have ever caught a glimpse of His glory.  Perhaps this morning we will gather and sing songs calling for the glory of God to fall on us or for His "fire" to "fall" upon our congregations...  

I'm not so sure we know what we are asking...

You see, the presence of God is immense.  It is fierce.  It is described as an "all consuming fire."  When Isaiah was taken into His presence his life nearly left him.  He was reduced to cowering, muttering, "I am a man of unclean lips who dwells in the presence of the unclean."

Never is our sinful frailty as exposed as when we come near God's presence.  Thus, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  When the presence of God inspires fear, it exposes our need for salvation, and thus we embark upon the path to life. 

But...

We rush into His presence and depart as hastened as we came.  Our prayers are superficial.  We do not stop to ponder our frailty.  We do not come equipped with the knowledge that, but for the blood of Christ, instant death and judgment await us.

Rather, like house hunters, we stumble into His throne room, as if we are in some divine open house.  "Wow, I really like the furnishings... That over there though, needs some updating..."

While perfect love casts out all fear, we have approached God without hallowing His name.  I pray that as we gather to worship, we would give pause to remember where it is our prayers and devotions ascend.  I pray we tremble just a bit at Whose presence moves among us, exposing and extracting sin from our stubborn hearts.  

Indeed, Jesus gives us boldness to enter the throne of grace, but many of us (including myself) have entered carelessly, having not fully grasped the immense privilege it is to enter those courts.  Neither have we trembled knowing that we approach a place we could never have blazed a trail to on our own.  We are but infants carried by our savior, unable to bear our own weight, surrounded by peril, but presented as worthy on account of Him who presents us.

Now go worship.