Sunday, February 26, 2006

the Fear of the Lord

Hmm.. this is somewhat of a follow up of my last post, about the fear of the Lord.

I figured it out, or gained some insight anyway. It was a Friday JCA Large group (Quest). Pastor matt was teaching about Envy from Proverbs and the verse had something about fear of the Lord and how that was how to counter Envy.

The fear of the Lord is worship, it's standing in awe and wonder of God because He is so Awesome and worthy to be praised and worship. But it's standing in awe and wonder of God in a way that produces change in our lives because we realise who God really is.

Then this image popped up in my mind about who God is...

I'm standing on the hill at Calvery seeing Jesus cry out to God above. He's looking to Heaven, so desperate to see the One He loves and the One who loves Him. His head and His whole body wants to reach up to heaven and feel the touch of God. But He cannot. He's nailed cruely to the cross, experiencing the evils of the Roman Crucifixion. But that isn't what prevents Him from seeing the Father. It's the sin. my sin, your sin nailed and hammered into every part of His being. With the sins of the Father on Him, the Father cannot but turn away, leaving his dying Son with not even a glimpse of His back.

What's going through my mind? I'm just standing there, not really wanting to look at the gory scene before me. Unmoved probably, untouched and unchanged. Sometimes, we see that image so often we (as Christians) fail to grasp the message of the cross and the power of the cross and it's meaning and implication in our lives.

Then, i feel a distinct presence behind me, two hands placed on my shoulder. I've been a Christian long enough to know that its The Holy Spirit, and the Presence of God. I turn my eyes away from the cross and hide myself in the embrace of the Spirit, of the Father, because I cannot bear to watch Jesus suffer. Then it hits me.
The cross is so painful for Christ, because as He suffers alone, as He breathes His last breath, I feel and touch the Spirit. I meet God. That's the contrast of the cross. THe One so deserving of help, in His time of greatest need is turned away, so that the one who doesn't deserve even a chance enjoys the presence of God. That's grace.

What's my response? I run to the cross, fix my eyes on Jesus nailed to the cross and I touch Him. I want to give Him the comfort that the Spirit gives me. But it was done.. Jesus breathed His last.

the next thought that comes to my mind though, is Jesus' words in matthew 25
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Matt 25:34-40

The fear of the Lord is being in awe and wonder of God, His love, His sacrifice, His holiness, His awesomeness, but not just standing there, but having that awe and wonder in a way that produces permanent life change.

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