In JR Tolkiens, Lord of the Rings II, we have a picture of Christ as the ‘white wizard appears’. His followers, the fellowship of the ring, do not recognize him for as Hebrews 10:31 states, 'it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.' Their fear of him gives way to surrender as He reveals himself to them. They are in utter amazement because they saw him die and go to the depths and yet now he appears as the one who conquered death, a picture of our Lord. Today we are going to focus on focus on the fact the God loves you the way you are but He loves you too much to let you stay that way. We need to have a healthy fear of the Lord and we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling but this too comes with the promise as Paul writes in Philippians 2:13, 'for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with lovingkindness. Jeremiah 31:3 Most of us are familiar with Extreme Makeover a reality TV show a few years back where an episode consists of 3 individuals who have been picked from all over the country for you name it, a nose job, tummy tuck or laser surgery. Well, God wants to do an extreme spiritual makeover for us and this one last forever! For the believer in Jesus, it is summed up in Hebrews 10:14…”For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy.” He desires that we become a royal priesthood of believers who minister on behalf of our community, calling out to God for the needs of others. In the Old Testament, The chief duties of the priests were to watch over the fire on the altar of burnt offering, and to keep it burning evermore both by day and night, Lev. 6:12; 2 Chronicles 13:11; to feed the golden lamp outside the veil with oil, Exodus 27:20, 21; to offer the morning and evening sacrifices, each accompanied with a meat offering and a drink offering, at the door of the tabernacle. Exodus 29:38-44. But was this the reality God wanted his children to experience? … To know that their sins would have to be paid for year after year?...that the feeling of guilt would never disappear? Jesus came to do the will of the Father and to set in motion God’s original design for His people. An institutional priesthood was not part of God’s design. Now that is quite a statement to make. Let’s take a look at Scripture…Exodus 19:6 and you will be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. The fear of God is not meant to keep us from God, it is meant to keep us from sinning. But what do we feel like when we mess up…when we sin? Most often we don’t feel like reading our Bible, let alone praying. This was certainly true of the children of Israel, they did not come back to the God who loved them so much. They said, Moses, have the Lord speak to us. Furthermore He never wanted His chosen nation to have a human king, He was so desirous of relationship with His people, He longed to be their king, but He would not force His kingship on them. In order for us to experience His makeover, we need Him on the throne of our life.
No comments:
Post a Comment