Tag Archives: the Presence of God

Too Harsh?

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Deuteronomy 34

Have you ever thought God was a bit too harsh when he prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land? Moses had tapped a rock like he’d done before to get water. Sure, he was frustrated and angry at the time, and expressed an “I’ll show you,” attitude toward the people. Sure, God had told him to speak to the rock this time, and said nothing about tapping it, so there was that. But Moses had worked hard most of his adult life, trying to get a thousand Jews into the Promised Land. One goal. One focus. Every waking minute was spent toward that end. Plus, he was a good man!

But when Moses stood right there in front of the Promised Land, steps away from realizing his goal, God slammed the door in his face.

Harsh.

Where is patience, slow to anger, abounding in love? Where is forgiveness?

Angie Smith, in her book “Seamless” published by Lifeway, said something I hadn’t considered before. It’s found on page 79:

“Moments after Moses was blocked from the promised land, God brought him into an eternal life with the Father. The loss was momentary. Temporary. It paled in comparison to what was next.”

I love that.

The consequence for his disobedience was an important lesson for the Jews, and us. It doesn’t matter who you are, disobedience of any kind is rightly punished by God. All of us are to obey God or face the consequences.

For Moses, however, his momentary disappointment was replaced by the most amazing experience of his life – entering into the arms of God in a place too wonderful for words; a place that made Moses forget the so called Promised Land without regret.

This life is full of disappointment, often caused by disobedience. There are also times of blessings as we enjoy an imperfect relationship with God. But take heart.

We believers will one day be ushered into the Presence of God where all of it – good and bad – will pale in comparison to looking into the eyes of our Savior and getting lost in His embrace.

Was God’s punishment for Moses’ sin too harsh? Believe me, Moses hasn’t given a thought to what we see as loss. Not one thought.

Protect the Presence

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1 Samuel 4

The ark of the Lord was the Lord’s Presence during the Old Testament. It wasn’t like today when God actually lives in the hearts of Christians. But reading chapter 4 has me thinking.

Israel was at war with the Philistines, and lost an important battle to the enemy. Eli, the High Priest was at home anxiously waiting for news. When the messenger got there, the news wasn’t good.

The first thing Eli heard was that the battle was lost. The second thing he was told was that his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, had both been killed. The news must have cut Eli to the core. Can a parent receive worse news?

There was a third part to that report. The ark of God had been taken as plunder by the enemy.

When (the messenger) mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died… (verse 18a)

Eli’s pregnant daughter-in-law was then given the report. She was told about the defeat of the Jewish army and the deaths of her husband and his brother. To that, she found out her father-in-law was also dead. Again devastating news, this time for a young woman starting her family.

She also was told the ark of Lord had been captured by the Philistines. She immediately went into labor and died in childbirth.

The awful news of the loss of life understandably grieved Eli and his daughter-in-law. But what seems to have tipped the scales and threw them over the edge was the news of the captured ark of God.

Now, here’s what I’m wondering. Like I said the ark was the presence of God in Israel. The presence of God in 2024 is in your heart and mine. If His presence was removed today, would that news tip us over the edge or would we even notice?

Obviously, if the Holy Spirit decided to pack it all in and return to heaven, we’d notice. We’d be in hell.

But do we understand that our sin separates us from God? Some people don’t worry about that thinking once saved always saved, and God’s promise to never leave or forsake us. But that doesn’t mean God will follow us into sin if that’s where we are headed. He won’t forsake us. But we can certainly forsake Him.

I imagine all of us have experienced times when we feel closer to God than other times. Why is that? Does God move, or do we?

What causes the change except sin? God cannot and will not exist where sin is. And if we are holding sin in our hearts, where do you think God is? It’s at those times I might not know where He is, but I sure know where He’s NOT.

If I refuse to confess a sin, and then wonder why I feel I’m not as close to God as I used to be, I need to wake up. The problem isn’t that I don’t “feel” close to God. The problem is I’m NOT close to God because of my sin. It has nothing to do with my feelings and everything to do with my sin.

Oh, that we would be as heartbroken as Eli and his daughter-in-law over the thought of the loss of God’s presence. May we protect the Presence by moving nearer and nearer to Him through reading Scripture, praying and obeying. May we recognize sin and repent every time.

And may we never get comfortable living with the distance between our Holy God and ourselves.

Protect the Presence.

(2 Chronicles 6) Can You Imagine?

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Solomon, standing in front of the finished temple with all its beauty, was overwhelmed – not by the artistry of the building – but by the Presence of God in that place.

“But will God indeed live on earth with humans? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you, much less this temple I have built.” (vs 18)

Today, I am also overwhelmed. Not just at the thought of God living on earth with humans, although that in itself, in the person of Jesus Christ is absolutely beyond wonderful. I am overwhelmed that this great God who cannot be contained by the highest heaven actually lives IN ME!

Can I even grasp the fullness of that reality?

God, so vast, so beyond our understanding, the One who holds the universe – and every universe out there in the palm of His hand – knows ME, loves ME, and because His Son lived, died, and rose again to forgive sin, actually, without a doubt, lives in ME.

Solomon could not have imagined the truth of it. He was blown away by the thought of God taking up residence in the temple he had built. How much more would he have been amazed at that same God taking up residence in Connie.

Who?

I know. An insignificant, flawed, ordinary human living in the 21st century is the home of Creator God.

Can you imagine?

(I Kings 3-7) Living In Splendor

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The Temple is built. I can only imagine the splendor. It was a house built for the King of Kings! It must have been breathtaking with all the gold, silver, cedar, carvings and sculptures. I’m glad God included those details in the passages I read today.

But as I read, I kept thinking about how, even after seven years of careful construction and at great expense, this temple will not survive. In a few short years, things will drastically change because of the disobedience of God’s people.

What does this tell us about God? After all, the Bible is given to us so that we can know Him. What does He want us to know?

As I sat here and thought about this, I recognized how this picture of the Temple, like all Scripture, paints a picture of how God blesses obedience; but He removes Himself and His protection when His people disobey. That was true in Solomon’s day. It’s still true today.

It’s true in our personal lives, and it’s true in a nation.

I want my walk with God to be in the splendor of His glorious Presence. Like the brick and mortar temple Solomon built with all it’s glory, every minute detail designed and blessed by God as I obey Him. I am able to do that because of His grace and mercy, as I continually submit to Him.

Sadly, I sometimes find myself walking in the rubble of a temple leveled by disobedience.

We will see in the chapters and books ahead how the Israelites will try time after time to rebuild or redecorate the temple. It will never be brought back to the glory we read about in these chapters in I Kings. However, unlike the temple Solomon built, I am able to return to that splendor when I confess and repent of sin. God’s Presence is renewed, my walk blessed by Him as I follow His blueprint for my life.

May my walk today be a life marked by the glorious Presence of God. May my heart be clean according to His plan. May I stand out as someone who is walking in the splendor which is God Himself. And may I be blessed, and a blessing, as I obey Him with all my heart.

Desperate (Psalms 89, 96, 100-101,105, 132)

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So much praise in these psalms for our faithful, powerful, loving, deserving God! I hope you’ll read them and let them be the prayer of your heart.

Psalm 132 has me considering how desperate I am that God live in me.

I will not enter my house or go to my bed – I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob, (vv 3-5)

I wonder if  I am that focused on preparing my heart for the Presence of Almighty God. Do I provide His resting place, or do I invite Him into a cluttered, chaotic space? I wonder if God is comfortable in my heart? May it be so.

Lord, may You find Your resting place in me. Please create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit in me. Take away anything that would distract, anything that would compete, anything that would cause You discomfort. I want You to be at home in my heart, dear Lord. I won’t rest until You are.

February 15; God Is In The House!

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Exodus 39-40

The Tabernacle was completed in five months. All the pieces fit, and it must have been quite a sight. The sparkling gold and silver, the royal blues and purples must have made a stark contrast against the backdrop of the wilderness.

Aaron and sons were dressed in their new priestly garments, complete with precious jewels. It must have inspired awe in everyone fortunate enough to have been a witness to it all.

But the most important, most impressive thing about the tabernacle didn’t happen until 40:34. The tabernacle was just an empty, albeit beautiful, tent until God showed up. What made this tent stand out from all the other ornate structures in the world was God Himself.

Matthew Henry tells us that everything concerning the tabernacle, and the priestly garments were merely shadows of what was to come. The substance, Henry says, is Christ and the grace of the Gospel. “When therefore the substance has come, it is a jest to be fond of the shadow.” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary In One Volume, Zondervan Publishing House, 1961, Grand Rapids, Michigan; page 114)

Let’s never be so concerned about what worship looks and feels like that we forget WHO we worship. Let’s not be as concerned about what our church buildings look like, as we are about why we gather there. Let’s not get caught up in the history of the Bible, or theological details about insignificant differences, and neglect the God of the Bible. Henry says it’s a joke to get caught up in the shadow.

Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus. Let’s celebrate the fact that when our sins are covered by His blood…

God is in the house!