January 15

Day 307: Presence

We more conservative Christians are comfortable with the idea of God's wrath against sin. At least more comfortable than our more liberal counterparts. Or so we think.

Leviticus is full of requirements; things that will separate and make distinct the people of Israel from other peoples nearby. It's a long list. Very exacting. Seems caught in a time warp. And impossible.

Leviticus 15:31 summarizes a big chunk of these lifestyle laws by saying, "Thus you [the priest] shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst."

If the tabernacle was the representation, a focus point of God's presence, He didn't want it defiled by sin. He wanted the holy to be distinct from the not so holy. Clean distinct from unclean.

And that being the standard, everyone, every single one of them was guilty. Guilty deserving death. Come near to God in an unholy manner, and it wouldn't end well.

Centuries later, God spoke through the prophet Hosea (chapter 11), saying, "My people are bent on turning away from me, and though they call out to the Most High, he shall not raise them up at all."

Dane Ortland writes that, based on the above, God's expected response would be, "I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will therefore come in wrath."

But that's not what God says through Hosea to His people. Just the opposite in fact. The very next verse actually says, "I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath."

It's not like God came to be present with His people out of ignorance to their condition. It's not like He showed up and thought, "Hey, they're not as advertised! They're really messed up, and pretty prideful at that!" God knew and knows His people.

And that's why He came. God in Christ did not come ignorant of our sin, but because of our sin. Mankind's dwelling with the Creator was broken. And Jesus came to repair and restore that connection, by repairing and restoring us from the horrid effects of our own sin.

We tend to respond to our sin in one of two ways. Either we take the prideful tack, either not bothered by our sin, or comparing ourselves favorably to others. And showing up pridefully bold-faced to church on Sundays.

Or, we take the defeated tack, assuming no hope, and waiting for God to put us up for adoption, because He's had enough. And instead of moving closer to God, we run away from Him, assuming rejection.

But God's heart is drawn to us, because of our sin. It's our needy state, not just our need for forgiveness and atonement. But our ultimate need for the presence of God, Himself.

So God, in His ultimate holiness, comes down to our filth. Jesus came then. As the remedy. And He continues today. The Holy Spirit indwells God's people. And the Church is where God can be seen.

Not because any of God's people, nor because the Church is sinless - but because God is present. The ultimate expression of God's grace to us - is Himself. Presence.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau