Behold Him!

Product packaging is quite the challenge.  You can’t tell me you’ve never struggled to tear away or break into a item’s package that could have better protected a bank’s vault!

 

God’s Presence – I fear we use this phrase too loosely.  I wonder if we really know anything of God’s Presence.  The psalmist wrote, “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in His holy place?” (24:3).  Everyone has opened a package and the packing material clung to your skin.  No matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t get away from it! This is a good illustration of sin and its tenacious nature – it dogs us and clings just like that persistent piece of cellophane.  We cannot embrace unrighteousness – selfishness, impatience, bitterness, etc. – and also enjoy fellowship with God.  Sin destroys intimacy with The Father: “For You are not a God Who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with You.” (Psalm 5:4).  It doesn’t matter how loud or often we sing praises or how many spiritual retreats we attend or even how much we read the Bible, ignoring and continuing in sin are barriers to the reality of God’s Presence.  Isaiah wrote, “Who among us can dwell with the Consuming Fire? … He who walks righteously.” (33:14-15)  The Presence of Holy God is reserved for those who are holy.  Being holy as God is holy should be a life-motivator for every born-again child of God.  Hunger and thirst for righteousness should cling to us like that stubborn piece of cellophane! “For the LORD is righteous … the upright shall behold His Face.” (Psalm 11:7).   Let us know His Presence and behold Him as never before!