“Take me past the outer courts, into the holy place; past the brazen alter, Lord I want to see your face.” We’ve sung those words so many times yet I wonder whether we truly understand what it means to see God’s face, and whether that truly is what we desire. God very clearly states in Exodus 33:20, “But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” Even the high priest went into the holy of holies with great trepidation knowing that this might very well be his last act on earth. So when we sing these words, are they just phrases meant to enhance the wonderful experience we are having, or are we truly ready to risk our very existence for the most terrifying display of glory that will ever be? God is so big, so awesome, so magnificent, so perfect in every way and the personification of holiness. Do we know what we’re asking for? Do we understand what we’re getting ourselves into?
God’s rules for the sanctification and purification of the Israelite’s help us begin to understand the holiness of God. Reading from Leviticus through to Deuteronomy, we find that there are so many conditions for being clean and so many offerings that you wonder whether they got anything done besides offering sacrifices! However, isn’t that exactly what our lives are meant to be – an offering to God? One of the most beautiful displays of God’s glory comes out of Leviticus chapter nine, when God appears before the people of Israel. All the people gather at the front of the meeting tent and present the sin, fellowship and whole burnt offerings and Moses says, “You have done what the Lord commanded, so you will see God’s glory,” And as Aaron blesses the people, fire comes out from the Lord and consumes the burnt offering. And the most beautiful part is, the people shout for joy and fall face down on the ground. To fall face down is to be in absolute submission and reverence.
Psalm 22:3 says, “The Lord inhabits the praises of Israel.”
Do we fall face down before our Lord? Psalm 22:3 says, “The Lord inhabits the praises of Israel.” So when we praise, are we brought to our knees in awe and wonder before our Creator’s Glory? Jeremiah 23:23-24 says that God is a God who is near and far and that he fills all of heaven and earth, so why is it that we, who are possibly the size of an atom within the context of the universe, aren’t trembling before Gods glory? It’s because God, in his grace, shows us only as much as we can take and how much we can take is directly proportional to how much we give. Royce articulated it perfectly when he said that your worship of God is equal to your knowledge of God. How well do we know him? How can we expect to even begin to comprehend the most astounding supernatural Being to ever exist, AKA God, in one hour on a Sunday morning? Worship must be a process through the week and the course of our lives, and our growth in the knowledge of God and our dedication to him, that will dictate our experience of him.
The healing services held on Wednesdays during the period of Lent a few years ago, were a phenomenal time of blessing and worship with God doing amazing things in our midst. Each service had been a wonderful time in God’s presence but there was one service when we were completely humbled. In the beginning there were various distractions and problems but throughout the congregation refused to be swayed and obstinately worshiped. This continued for nearly 50 minutes when suddenly, it was like God said, “Ok. You’ve worshiped enough, you’ve called on me enough, you’ve sought me enough, here I am.” Because all of a sudden God’s Presence fell over us like a thick blanket and for the next 40 minutes, we stood and worshiped our King, song after song with just one thought: “How great is our God.” All we knew was that God had come and completely consumed us.
Have we worshiped enough? Have we called on him enough? Have we sought him enough and completely surrendered ourselves as an offering such that God is able to come down into our midst? Our goal must be to seek God with that same tenacity and to never settle for anything less.
Jeremiah 29:12- 14 says, “Then you will call My Name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me. And when you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me! I will let you find me,” says the Lord.
May the Lord make us a people who search for him with all of our heart.
Cap Editorial