March 26, 2011 Fire on the Mountain

How often do we avoid the presence of God because of the glory?  I do too often.  We go to worship and He shows up as fire, His voice makes us tremble, and we're afraid for our lives.  So we back off instead of endure.

Moses was sharing the Commandments with the Israelites, and this is what he said to them. "The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire.  I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up the mountain." Deuteronomy 5: 4-5 NKJV

Isn't that what we want a lot of times, for someone else to hear from God for us?  We don't want friendship with God enough to endure the fire.

God didn't force the people to hang out with Him. Rather He expressed His desire that they truly would fear Him.  "Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! Go and say to them, “Return to your tents.” But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’ Deuteronomy 5: 29-31 NKJV

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom!  Yes, we should definitely have a reverent fear of the Lord - enough to obey Him.  But I want to press through for love of God to be with Him and hear His voice on the mountaintop.  I want friendship with Him, and that means taking Him the way He is.

If we hang out with Jesus long enough, we might end up seeing Him do the things He likes to do!  'Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Luke 7: 11-35  Are we going to get offended with Him for demonstrating His power?  What if the people around us don't like it?

I have to ask myself:  which would I rather have, an intimate relationship with the Lord or being understood by the people around me?  And when I answer myself, I have to honestly say, "I choose the Lord!"

Even if it makes me squirm.