Recognizing His Holiness
A few weeks ago at morning prayer, my friend Nahrin prayed something aloud that has sat with me ever since. She prayed "God, I'm learning about your Holiness, and it is so traumatizing..."
A week before that I'd asked God what He wanted me to give HIM for Christmas. I really and truly thought that I'd then come up with some grandiose plan to send a million bibles to some far off place, go feed the Homeless at the URM, or make a monetary donation to some cause with the kind of money I don't really have.
I am positive now that although all of those things do and can bring Glory to the Father, it isn't what He's asked of me. I truly believe that this Christmas, God wants me to recognize His Holiness.
What a strange and out of the box (forgive the pun) thing to "give"... but God always has a way of being unconventional with me, and that is always how I know it's Him & not me-- because I totally wouldn't have thought of that on my own.
Along with our current sermon series on encouraging Intimacy with God at Shoreline, and Brian's personal musings on what intimacy looks like in his own life and relationships... I've been reminded of the depth and extreme of God's Holiness. The "traumatic" parts of it (where I or anyone can not even fathom coming a percentage close to the kind of purity and Goodness that God is) and the faithful parts (where because of His Holiness, we could never come into His presence without a sacrifice- someone to bear our sins in our place - and that is Jesus Christ!).
I wasn't sure what Nahrin meant while she sat there in recognition of God's Holiness, but now, I believe I am starting to get it- minutely. (I have a LOOONG way to go, and a lot more to learn).
I have always loved the following Psalms because they are vintage worship songs from when I was growing up and offered a nostalgia for my "church-going-family-days", but lately I've been listening to these songs again and instead of getting nostalgic for my earthly family, I found myself drinking in the depth of the verses becoming incredibly awed by the Holiness of my Father God.
Through prayers and cries like the ones written in the Word, the Lord-- Holy and Mighty and so incredibly God... hears, and answers, and loves us! And HE is still HOLY!
Psalm 5 (New King James)
1Give ear to my words, O LORD,
consider my meditation.
2Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God:
for unto thee will I pray.
3My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Psalm 42:1-5
Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
"Where is your God?"
4These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation6and my God.
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