Last night I wrote on a Jewish discussion forum about reality of communication with the living God. Lord, you know how many times this week I have said with David, “my soul longs for your courts; my heart and my flesh cry out to the living God.” It is an almost palpable longing for you – for real, not imagined, encounter.
Earlier this morning I looked up 2Corinthians 3 and 4 to remind myself what it says about Moses’ face shining when he received the “covenant that brought death” (the very event being celebrated by Jews this week of Shavuot.) We, allegedly, have a glory which surpasses that one. We have unveiled faces beholding or reflecting the glory of the only begotten son of God. We are being changed from glory to glory. Even we who have this treasure in earthen vessels.
This is the word of God. But what is the reality in my life? Why does a man yet hope for what he already has? There is a disconnect between what I confess to believe and what I experience. That is a very dangerous place to be. When one professes to believe the supernatural but does not experience it, there comes a discouragement over time. It leads to doubt and unbelief. Or if one perceives that others do indeed experience the realities of the glory of God but I do not, there come great openings for the accuser of the brethren, because the fault must lie in me – “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” (Shakespeare)
Such thoughts I was having when I came to my regular daily Bible reading in 2 Chronicles 6 and 7. I had been struck the other day by the account at the end of chapter 5 of bringing the ark into the new temple, and God coming down in a cloud of glory so the priests could not minister. So today, after reading again chapter 6, which is Solomon’s prayer of dedication, and plea for God to always listen to his people who humble themselves and pray toward that place, I came to chapter 7:1-3, “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the people saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshipped and gave thanks to the LORD…”
What do people see now? Why do they run after New Age in order to try to find the supernatural, “seeking the living among the dead?” Does anybody look at my unveiled face and see the glory of God? Maybe the fire of God does not fall, because I am making no sacrifice? His fire only falls on the sacrifice, not on the empty altar.
Earlier this morning I looked up 2Corinthians 3 and 4 to remind myself what it says about Moses’ face shining when he received the “covenant that brought death” (the very event being celebrated by Jews this week of Shavuot.) We, allegedly, have a glory which surpasses that one. We have unveiled faces beholding or reflecting the glory of the only begotten son of God. We are being changed from glory to glory. Even we who have this treasure in earthen vessels.
This is the word of God. But what is the reality in my life? Why does a man yet hope for what he already has? There is a disconnect between what I confess to believe and what I experience. That is a very dangerous place to be. When one professes to believe the supernatural but does not experience it, there comes a discouragement over time. It leads to doubt and unbelief. Or if one perceives that others do indeed experience the realities of the glory of God but I do not, there come great openings for the accuser of the brethren, because the fault must lie in me – “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in the stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” (Shakespeare)
Such thoughts I was having when I came to my regular daily Bible reading in 2 Chronicles 6 and 7. I had been struck the other day by the account at the end of chapter 5 of bringing the ark into the new temple, and God coming down in a cloud of glory so the priests could not minister. So today, after reading again chapter 6, which is Solomon’s prayer of dedication, and plea for God to always listen to his people who humble themselves and pray toward that place, I came to chapter 7:1-3, “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. When all the people saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshipped and gave thanks to the LORD…”
What do people see now? Why do they run after New Age in order to try to find the supernatural, “seeking the living among the dead?” Does anybody look at my unveiled face and see the glory of God? Maybe the fire of God does not fall, because I am making no sacrifice? His fire only falls on the sacrifice, not on the empty altar.
posted by lornewel at
4:20 p.m.
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