I've been meditating more on the difference between how Isaiah felt when he came before the throne of God and how we are told to come before the throne boldly, crying out Abba. I just can't seem to get this picture out of my head and I am thrilled with that.
Isaiah came during a time of extreme turmoil in his land. Idolatry and rebellion against the One true God were the norm. Much like our society today. The difference is He did not yet have the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God the Son. We do. The system Isaiah lived under only provided absolution through the blood of animals. The holy, precious blood of the Lamb had not yet been shed. Isaiah spoke of this future event in chapter 53 of his book. He saw the sacrifice to come.
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? 2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. 3 He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. 4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 7 He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. 8 Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. 9 He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. 10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. 11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
So, I've concluded that yes, we need to come before our God with honor, awe, respectful fear and amazement...He is God, awesome and mighty. But we come boldly knowing we are coveded by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. In humility and gratitude we stand before our Lord knowing that it is through Jesus we are there. In Him we stand accepted and loved, cleanses of all unrighteousness. Not on our own, but because of Jesus.
Colossians 1:22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Jude 24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.
Lord, only through You can these two amazing truths be true. Only in You can we know who You are, Your majesty, Your magnitude, Your holiness. All power, glory, honor and praise belong to You. And yet, only through Your work on the Cross can we come before you, assured of Your glad welcome. Only by the shed blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ can we come before as sons and daughters, crying out Daddy! We worship You for Your greatness, Your awesomeness. And we embrace You as our Father and Savior, the One Who loved us so much that You died for us. I truly am in awe of You. In the Name of our Jesus, amen.
Meditate on these verses.
No comments:
Post a Comment