Who Can Stand?

"But the LORD killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh

because they looked into the Ark of the LORD.

And the people mourned greatly because 

of what the LORD had done.

'Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD,

this holy God?'  they cried out.

'Where can we send the Ark from here?'"

1 Samuel 6:19-20 NLT

They were overjoyed at the sight of the ark.  One minute they were harvesting in the fields, bent over in their labor, the next they were rejoicing, lifting their hands to the heavens.  How did the ark get here?  How could these cows have delivered it, going against instinct and leaving behind their calves?  It is a miracle!  God has brought His ark of the covenant back to His people! 

As the men of Beth-shemesh prepared the sacrifice, they marveled at the fact that the Lord had not only brought the ark back to the land of His people, but specifically to a priestly town where it would be handled properly. (Joshua 21:16) They rejoiced in His providence.  Unfortunately, in their exuberance and perhaps curiosity, some of these men who knew better forgot that God is holy and to be revered.  They violated this symbol of His presence by looking upon the ark with their lowly eyes. (Numbers 4:5,20)  Not to let this attitude be overlooked, God struck the offenders down, providing a sober reminder of His holiness and their unworthiness.

It is easy to get comfortable with God.  The more I get to know Him, the closer I grow, drawing near as I learn about His role as my loving Father who extends mercy and grace through the blood of His Son, Jesus.  Sometimes, however, I become so at ease around Him that I forget His holy nature.  In order to help me cultivate a healthy respect for Him, then, there are some qualities that God will develop in me as I cooperate with the ongoing transformation process.

Humbleness

He was said to be the most humble man on the face of the earth.  When it came to his own honor, he easily let criticism pass. (Numbers 12:2)  If God's reputation were disrespected, however, he was passionate, to say the least, ready to defend His holy name. (Exodus 32:19-20)  Moses understood how he fit into the scheme of things, with God being the One to deserve all glory and honor.

If I am to similarly recognize the holiness of God as I live in tandem with Him, I must become less and He must become more.  As I grow closer, His perfect nature will become more apparent and my own wretchedness will be made plain.  In this way, I am being humbled.

Sometimes it takes a life-threatening illness to burn out the impurity of my own pride.  When I hold even the most elementary of beliefs that there is some good within me or that I am capable of doing something worthwhile apart from Him, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  God will do what it takes to show me how dependent upon Him I am.

Other times He will take away His favor, showing me how wretched a creature am I.  When I start to harbor feelings of self-satisfaction, wrongly believing I'm pretty good at this thing we call the Christian life, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  It then takes a wake-up call from God to remind me of how hopeless I am without Him.

Then there are times when God may give me what I selfishly want, vividly illustrating the futility of following my own path.  When I desire my way over God's, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  He has His own method of showing me just how foolish are my plans and how far superior are His.

As I go through life, God will humble me in ways that reveals more and more of His holy nature.

Reverence

He did exactly as God told him to do even though he didn't understand it.  Despite his inability to figure out how God would conquer the great walled city, this leader passed on the instructions precisely as God had given them to him.  The priests were given their peculiar marching orders.  The people knew what they must do.  Despite the fact that the people might think he was nuts, Joshua did exactly as God had commanded him to do. (Joshua 6) 

As familiar as the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho might be, I may not have realized the reverence Joshua held for God.  He respected Him enough to obey His orders without feeling the need to understand what God was doing or how in the world walking around the city would result in victory.  Instead, he simply did as he was told.  His obedience revealed a level of respect for God of which I need.

It reminds me of the broken speedometer in my vehicle.  Even though I can gauge my speed by how fast others are driving, I still want to know the exact reading.  Similarly, it's hard for me to trust in something I don't fully understand.  If I am to put my faith in a God whose ways are so far superior to mine, then, I will need to accept the fact that His ways are unfathomable. (Isaiah 55:8-9)  It is impossible for me to understand His purposes and plans.  (Romans 11:33)  I cannot expect to be able to uncover the mysteries of His mind.  (Job 5:9, Psalm 139:6)  Instead, I am to revere God enough to do as He says.

As I go through life, God will develop in me a reverence for His unsearchable ways.

Submissiveness

He did as he was told without question.  When God said to leave the only home he ever knew and the family he loved so much, he did so, not finding it necessary to know where they would end up.  (Genesis 12)  Later, when the Lord instructed him to sacrifice his only son, he responded in obedience. (Genesis 22)  Abraham was a man who submitted to the authority of God in his life.

Unfortunately for me, my will is strong.  In order to yield to God's will, mine must be weakened.  In other words, I must come to the point where His ways become more important to me than mine.  Then I will more easily heed His teachings, taking them seriously.  Up until then, I might brush His wisdom aside as optional or voluntary.  Once I see the connection between my love for Him and my willingness to do as He says, I'll leave behind my rebellious ways and become more submissive to His.

It reminds me of a company I hired to care for my lawn.  When they first showed up to do the job, I met them in the driveway so I could show them the boundaries of our yard and express what I expected.  As I spoke, the man on the lawn mower jumped off the machine and walked along the edge of our yard, asking questions to better understand where he was to mow.  I appreciated his attention to detail and his desire to take my instructions seriously.

This is what God wants from me, an earnest desire to do as He says and to take His Word seriously.  Whatever He reveals to me should be held as precious, so much so that I respond immediately, taking the teaching to heart and letting Him use His own Word to change my behaviors, thoughts and habits.  When I make myself like a pliable lump of clay, God can mold me into the woman He created me to be.  When I stubbornly insist on my way, hardening my heart in fear or obstinacy, I will stay as I am.

As I go through life, God will shape me into a submissive child who takes her Father's instructions seriously.

It is easy to get too comfortable with God, thinking of Him as if He were like me.  In such a mindset, I am in danger of offending the holy nature of God.  As I cooperate with His sanctifying work in my life, I will become more humble, develop a reverence for Him and learn submissiveness.  In these ways, I will truly understand that no one can stand before such a holy God:  Only He is worthy to be praised.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep God's holiness in mind as I let Him have His way in my life.

When do I treat God almost like a servant, expecting Him to do my bidding?

How do I offend His holiness in the flippant way I deal with Him or talk about Him?  Do I say His name with reverence?   

Time to Praise

"'I asked the LORD to give me this boy,

and he has granted my request.

Now I am giving him to the LORD,

and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.'

And they worshiped the LORD there.

Then Hannah prayed:

'My heart rejoices in the Lord!'"

1 Samuel 1:26-2:1

Solomon recorded his deep thoughts about the seasons of life.  He said, "For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT)  None of us are exempt from death, heartache or loss. Each of us experiences laughter, tears and anger.  Every action is appropriate in certain times of life.  

I often think in such a way about the praise I give to God as well.  It's easy to honor God and extol His goodness when my life is going well.  Hannah modeled a more appropriate time to lift His name on high, however, and its not a time I would usually think about stopping and giving praise to God.  She intentionally rejoiced in the Lord at a time that must have been quite stressful and heartbreaking for her as a new mother.  She praised the Lord in the moment of her greatest loss, her selfless act of surrender, her unspeakable sacrifice made out of gratitude to the God she loved.

Instead of feeling sorry for herself or second-guessing her decision, Hannah wholeheartedly praised the Lord while she gave her only, beloved son, the gift given by a merciful God, back in service to Him.  The boy would never again sit at her table, or sleep under her roof, or play on her floor.  She would miss out on seeing him grow into a man.  Still, her heart rejoiced.  For what?  For all she knew about the Lord.

He Saves

I was at the end of my rope, although I was ignorant of this reality.  I was helpless to save myself, drowning in my own sin.  At just the right time, Jesus came to give His life as a sacrifice for me. (Romans 5:6)  He took the punishment my sin deserves so that when I realized the depth of my depravity and my great need for a Savior to rescue me from certain death, I could accept the lifeline He so mercifully offered.  As I grabbed hold, I entered from death into life. (Ephesians 2:4-5)

God is by definition a Savior.  David wrote a song about this aspect of the Lord after he was mercifully rescued from the hand of Saul who was out for his blood.  "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."  (Psalm 18:2)

In the same way that David experienced first-hand this saving character trait of God, I too can taste His deliverance if I let Him.  Not only can I experience true freedom from guilt and the heavy burden of works that comes through faith in Christ, but I can also be freed from despair, heartache or a meaningless living.  He is not a one-time Deliverer, but a perpetual Savior.  

Therefore, when I feel as if I am deep in the darkness, unable to move forward and seemingly destined to stay in the pit, I can find help from the God who saves.  I can refocus my attention on Him instead of only concentrating on the suffering that seems to define my life.  Keeping my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith, serves as a lifeline that will pull me up out of the mire.  (Psalm 40:2)

Similarly, when it seems I will never be free from the pain that pierces my heart, destined to mourn my loss for the rest of my days, my Deliverer hears my cry and begins the healing process.  Slowly, the pain subsides and the wounds are knitted together until I find myself singing a song of joy.

He also is the only One who can release me from a mundane life.  Instead of living for myself and working only to provide for my needs, He will usher me into a way of life that brings joy, grace and never-ending mercy as I serve Him wholeheartedly.  While I used to focus on what the world told me was important, my Deliverer shows me the futility of living such a life and ushers me into a garden of peace as I delight in His presence.  

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift up His name as my Deliverer, no matter my circumstances.

He is Holy

Set apart.

Sanctified.

Higher.

Perfect.

Hallowed.

Divine.

These are some words that can describe what it means for God to be holy.  As such a God whose ways are higher than mine, and whose thoughts are far superior to mine, I must constantly keep this holiness of His in mind. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

He has resources of which I know nothing.  Due to His superiority, I can't begin to fathom how He will work out a situation, bring about healing or provide for my needs.  It is not my place to understand how He will do something; that is my Father's business.  Instead, as His dearly-loved child, it is my place to fully rely on Him, expecting great things from Him.  (Matthew 6:32-33)

Many times, however, I limit God.  I expect circumstances to work out in a way that I understand, or according to what I've experienced or already know.  If I don't give God room to be God, I won't get to see Him work in ways that blow my mind.  If I only expect the ordinary, I will never get to see His extraordinary ways.  If I don't give Him a chance to work, instead providing for my own needs and solving my own problems, I miss out on the awesome privilege of soaring on wings like eagles.  (Isaiah 40:31)

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift up His holy name, expecting the unexpected from a God whose ways are unfathomable.

He is Sovereign

He worked hard to build up his savings, investing money for the future.  He did everything the financial experts advised.  On that infamous day, however, he lost much of the nest egg he had worked so hard to grow.  The man who was wise in the eyes of the world had failed to take into account the sovereignty of God and ended up being proved as the fool he was. (Luke 12:13-21)

It's easy for me to think my position is secure.  After all, I have plenty of insurance to cover any and every possible tragedy and there is sufficient money tucked away in different accounts to provide for me and my family for the rest of my life.  I'm sittin' pretty, I think.  Then the stock market crashes, or terrorists attack, or some other catastrophic event occurs.  Hmm, I didn't think of that, I realize as my whole world crumbles down around me.

Only God can give life. (Deuteronomy 32:39) He extends mercy to those upon whom He desires to have mercy. (Romans 9:15) He brings the rain or withholds it, depending upon His plan. (Amos 4:7) I cannot even take a breath without Him granting it to me. (Job 12:10) I am completely at His mercy.

Each of us are living in a world that was created by God.  This is not my world, but my Father's.  Therefore, I must remember that nothing happens outside of His knowledge and anything that enters into my life must first pass through His hands for approval.  Since He is a good God, then, I can rejoice in His provision. (Psalm 136:1) I can rest easy in His strong and competent hands.  I can let Him have control, letting go of my own feeble attempts to somehow manipulate His creation to fit into my own plan.

In the same way that Hannah praised God in the midst of difficulty, I can lift Him up as sovereign over all things, willingly giving control over to Him.

I don't easily think of praising God when the going gets tough.  Instead of focusing on my circumstances, however, I can begin to do as Hannah did, and praise God for who He is, no matter my situation.  I can remember His saving, holy, and sovereign nature, making every moment the perfect time to give Him praise.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God despite what I see going on around me.

When do I expect ordinary things from God instead of watching for amazing feats of His might?

How do I limit God in my day-to-day life?