The Old Testament contains some great moments where God turns up and just takes over. The Presence of God descending on the newly built temple in 2 Chronicles chapters 5 and 7 is an example of this. Reading these passages gives the sense that the 'normal proceedings' were simply interrupted ... people could only be in awe of God.
What I find more interesting is the timing of this relative to the sacrifices. In chapter 5 the pieces are put in position in the temple with much fanfare and singing (and why not?). Then the presence descended and the priests could do no more!
In chapter 7 there is the sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. Now that is a lot of sacrifice - I think it is the largest single sacrifice moment in the Old Testament - but note that this comes after the glory of the Lord filling the temple. Yes there are some sacrifices presented already (for fire comes down and consumes them), but the mass numbers bit seems to come as a follow on from the presence of God taking over.
In other words God's presence is not necessarily something we work up to, or bring about by piling on the sacrifice or sung worship. No ... it is a place and time of God's choosing that He inhabits. When God does so normal service is suspended - something to be welcomed, anticipated, hoped for.
Let's not think that we can bring it about, as if we had some special formula or energy. But let us do all we can to have a welcoming and prepared heart, so that at least in our own lives there is plenty of room to simply let God's Presence descend.
Friday, 25 April 2014
Thursday, 17 April 2014
Mercy - the Place of Worship
For any leader it is always a fine line between trusting in God and trusting in the resources that you have around you. King David crossed that line. In 1 Chronicles chapter 21 so much had been going well for David and his kingdom: old enemies were subdued, borders expanded. David could take stock, perhaps make plans for the future. Yet that became the moment of in-discretion - he ordered his commander to take a census of fighting men.
The error soon became obvious, and David realised he would have to hope for mercy from God. There is lots that one could look at here, but lets skip to the moment of mercy in verse 15. A plague was sweeping across the people, and would strike at the very heart of the nation - Jerusalem. Yet God relented and called 'Enough'. So acute was the situation that we have mapping coordinates for the very spot - the threshing floor of Araunah.
This location becomes a place of humble repentance, mercy ... and then worship. It also becomes the location of the eventual temple (see chapter 22 verse 1).
The Temple, the all important focal point for Israelite worship of God, the place where God would meet with people, the eventual pride of the nation, was located at the point of God's mercy. A physical reminder that our worship, our ability to meet with God, is enabled by God's mercy.
In time Jesus would of course supersede the physical temple, being God literally meeting with us. On the cross he would become both the place and the means of mercy for all mankind.
Lets not believe that we must encourage people to come to a certain building or physical place in order to meet God and worship. Rather let us find a way of taking them to the cross - for the place of mercy becomes the place of worship.
The error soon became obvious, and David realised he would have to hope for mercy from God. There is lots that one could look at here, but lets skip to the moment of mercy in verse 15. A plague was sweeping across the people, and would strike at the very heart of the nation - Jerusalem. Yet God relented and called 'Enough'. So acute was the situation that we have mapping coordinates for the very spot - the threshing floor of Araunah.
This location becomes a place of humble repentance, mercy ... and then worship. It also becomes the location of the eventual temple (see chapter 22 verse 1).
The Temple, the all important focal point for Israelite worship of God, the place where God would meet with people, the eventual pride of the nation, was located at the point of God's mercy. A physical reminder that our worship, our ability to meet with God, is enabled by God's mercy.
In time Jesus would of course supersede the physical temple, being God literally meeting with us. On the cross he would become both the place and the means of mercy for all mankind.
Lets not believe that we must encourage people to come to a certain building or physical place in order to meet God and worship. Rather let us find a way of taking them to the cross - for the place of mercy becomes the place of worship.
Monday, 7 April 2014
Refiner's Fire
As an exercise read the whole of 1 Peter and see how many times it refers to suffering and trials of various forms. Peter is quite clear that the Christian life is not guaranteed to be easy - in fact from his letter you should conclude that hard is in fact normal!
Live different - suffer even for doing good - hope that your inner beauty will shine through - don't sink to the standards/tactics of those around you - be prepared for physical suffering just as Christ did - in fact rejoice when you suffer or are insulted because of your walk with Christ!
Are these hardships a nuisance, just something we have to put up with along the way? Peter would not agree: in chapter 1 verse 7 he asserts their refining characteristic, somehow 'proving' our faith. That is a scary thought - could we be part of the dross that is skimmed off rather than the purest material that the refiner seeks?
Yet through the whole letter also runs the answer to that - God wants us to pass the test. Be it the concept of election in chapter 1 verse 1, the recurring statements about Jesus making it possible for us to be saved, or the closing statements of chapter 5 (see verse 10), the deal is that God provides a way for us to win through. This is our living hope, looking towards an inheritance that can never spoil or fade.
Recognise and accept the refiner's fire along the way - it is normal and has purpose. Maintain faith and He will see you through. It will be worth it - trust Him.
Live different - suffer even for doing good - hope that your inner beauty will shine through - don't sink to the standards/tactics of those around you - be prepared for physical suffering just as Christ did - in fact rejoice when you suffer or are insulted because of your walk with Christ!
Are these hardships a nuisance, just something we have to put up with along the way? Peter would not agree: in chapter 1 verse 7 he asserts their refining characteristic, somehow 'proving' our faith. That is a scary thought - could we be part of the dross that is skimmed off rather than the purest material that the refiner seeks?
Yet through the whole letter also runs the answer to that - God wants us to pass the test. Be it the concept of election in chapter 1 verse 1, the recurring statements about Jesus making it possible for us to be saved, or the closing statements of chapter 5 (see verse 10), the deal is that God provides a way for us to win through. This is our living hope, looking towards an inheritance that can never spoil or fade.
Recognise and accept the refiner's fire along the way - it is normal and has purpose. Maintain faith and He will see you through. It will be worth it - trust Him.
Sunday, 30 March 2014
When your best ain't good enough
Pleasing people is a tricky business, and of course basically doomed to failure. Someone at some point will have a negative opinion on something you have done, and will project this onto you. People can also seem to change their mind: apparently 'okay' with something at the time and yet some months later then voicing a strong objection to it. It is at those times that you are left feeling that even though you gave your best, for some people it simply isn't good enough.
Paul was familiar with all this and experienced it first hand in his ministry. Believers in Corinth clearly seemed to be taking issue with him, which forms a backdrop to both his letters to them. Paul responds by trying to get people to focus on God's work (1 Corinthians 3) and then pointing out each of us are simply servants of Christ (chapter 4 verse 1), doing our best.
In a real sense Paul detaches himself from the debate. He knows his calling, and the requirements that places on him (verse 2), and that means he can get on with his work and let God be the judge - not himself or anyone else (verses 3 to 5).
So can we simply be oblivious to any measurement, analysis or assessment of what we do? I don't think so. For one thing we are called to minister in community, not in our own isolated bubbles. Yet it does mean that ultimately our grounding, our sense of identity, our calling, must all relate back to Christ and His work ... and so what we do is offered up to Him for the real assessment.
Paul was familiar with all this and experienced it first hand in his ministry. Believers in Corinth clearly seemed to be taking issue with him, which forms a backdrop to both his letters to them. Paul responds by trying to get people to focus on God's work (1 Corinthians 3) and then pointing out each of us are simply servants of Christ (chapter 4 verse 1), doing our best.
In a real sense Paul detaches himself from the debate. He knows his calling, and the requirements that places on him (verse 2), and that means he can get on with his work and let God be the judge - not himself or anyone else (verses 3 to 5).
So can we simply be oblivious to any measurement, analysis or assessment of what we do? I don't think so. For one thing we are called to minister in community, not in our own isolated bubbles. Yet it does mean that ultimately our grounding, our sense of identity, our calling, must all relate back to Christ and His work ... and so what we do is offered up to Him for the real assessment.
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