Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
Ecclesiastes 5:2
How often do we rush before God and hastily tell God what He should do for us? Then we wonder why our prayers go unanswered.
I think of our Lord praying in the Garden, just hours before His arrest. His disciples have fallen asleep as Jesus pours His heart out to the Father.
And Jesus says to the men that were with Him, “Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40)
Are we in such a hurry, that we cannot take time before the One who gave His life for us? We should not rush into the presence of God.
We should stand in silent awe before the mighty King of kings.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:20-21
Awesome! We throw that word around, giving it to anything and everything that we find interesting, as though it is a word for common use. But “awesome” in the true sense of the word means – having the quality of inducing a feeling of awe, fear, and reverence.
God is awe-inspiring. He is beyond comparison. And not one of us can fully understand this Sovereign of the Universe.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
Take a moment and watch this video. And as you experience the visions presented, think upon the awesome quality of God.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v2L2UGZJAM
This God, who in His raw power brought forth the world, did not neglect the gentle beauty of a single flower.
We should marvel at the intricate wonder and magnificent grandeur of this world.
What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
Psalms 8:4
So what is the point of it all, of this world, of creation?
To glorify God.
The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun.
Psalm 19:1-4
All of nature, all of creation cries out the truth that He is glorious, that there is no one like Him.
Do we simply tolerate God’s existence or do we revel in His glory?
God is so magnificent, so full of glory, that He is unapproachable. He is too holy to be in the presence of our fallible, sinful nature. Who can withstand His presence?
Not a one of us.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
So I said:
“Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Isaiah 6: 3-5
Queen Esther was preparing to present herself before King Xerxes. Prior to approaching this mighty king, she prepared herself and donned her royal robe. (Esther 5:1)
In like manner, we cannot go before the King of kings, the Lord of lords, in common apparel.
In the Old Testament temple worship, the priest could not enter into the Holy Place without first making sacrifice for their sins, bathing in the laver, and putting on the white linen garments of his priestly order.
It is no different today – God is only approachable because we are covered in the blood of the Lamb.
Only by the robes that Christ has given us can we enter into the Holy of Holies and present ourselves before the King of kings.
Yet all around, there is a epidemic of spiritual amnesia. (Chan, 29)
Do we enter into worship lightly? Are our hearts prepared to present ourselves before the mighty God?
Have we presented ourselves as living sacrifices? (Romans 12:1)
Do we love God because we have to? Or do we have a genuine feeling of awe and respect for our benevolent Creator?
Do we understand, truly, who God is?
He is called, “I am who I am.”
How wonderful that He is not “I was who I was” or “I will be who I will be.” He is always in the present tense.
He is always relevant, always available, always as He is.
He is holy.
He is eternal, and without limits.
He is ever-present. There is no place you can go, there is no situation you may experience, that God is not there.
He is all-knowing.
He is all-powerful. The same God the laid the foundation of the world, is the same God who walks beside you.
He does whatever he pleases, and owes us no explanation. (Psalm 115:3; Daniel 4:35)
God is fair and just. He never excuses sin.
Yet, He is merciful, in that He provided a way for our escape.
Let us not neglect our Royal Robes. Take time to be “awed” by God’s glory.
~ Susan
Crazy Love, by Francis Chan
Susan Van Volkenburgh Books 