What a thought: God is unapproachable in holiness, yet you have been invited through Jesus to confidently approach his throne of grace where you can hear his voice, experience his power, receive his forgiveness, pour out your heart—and be heard! What other god is like your God!
Making Life Work
Read: Psalm 99 // Focus: Psalm 99:6
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.
Over the course of several palms, the writer has been extolling the majesty and holiness of God—which makes him separate, distinct and higher than other beings. He alone is God—high and exalted, pure in righteousness and justice, beautiful in his majesty and unapproachable in his holiness. The only possible response anyone, either high and low, has in his presence is to tremble before his throne.
The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble. he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake. (Psalm 99:1-2)
Yet he is a God who has made it possible to approach him; he is a God who listens to his people when they call upon him; he is a God who, although he punishes misdeeds, also forgives sin and restores the penitent heart.
Lord our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. (Psalm 99:8)
Of all the people on the earth, arguably, Moses, Aaron and Samuel (Psalm 99:6) were three men who were the closest to God. They witnessed his awesome power, heard his voice, and represented his will to the people of Israel. Yet each were still flawed, fallen human beings—one a rehabilitated murderer, another the designer of the golden calf-idol, the third a relationally isolated hard-nosed prophet.
Although we hold each of these three men as bona fide Bible heroes, and rightly so, the details of their lives demonstrate that they were just regular guys—and yet each was invited to walk with Almighty God in an intimate relationship. Perhaps through these three holy men, God was saying that he desires to bring his people into a saving, sanctifying and enduring relationship, and that includes you and me.
What a thought: you can walk and talk with God like Moses. You can minister to God and for him like Aaron. You can hear God’s voice and know his will like Samuel. You can hear God’s voice, experience his power, receive his forgiveness (although, keep in mind, he is never soft on sin), present your needs before his throne—and be heard!
Now tell me this: What other god is there like our God? And what other people are so blessed like us to have a god who walks with them, forgives their sins, and hears their prayers? There is no other god like that—only our God.
What great nation ever had their gods as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we pray to him? (Deuteronomy 4:7)
Perhaps today you are not feeling so blessed. Not true, you are blessed beyond measure, because you belong to Almighty God. And when that truth hits you today—and I pray that it does—perhaps you will respond as the psalmist did in his final verse,
Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy. (Psalm 98:9)
How blessed you are to be able to approach the Unapproachable!
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