A Speaking, Shaking, Awesome God
David Roberts The approach to Mount Sinai
Do we need something tangible? Something we can touch and see? Is that the kind of God we need?
Do we want to see fire or cloud or storm? Do we long to hear trumpets?
Would we like to encounter God in the way Moses did? To be sure? To be certain?
18 You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai that can be seen and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm 19 or trumpet sound. The people of Israel heard a voice speak. But they begged it to stop, 20 because they could not obey its commands. They were even told to kill any animal that touched the mountain. 21 The sight was so frightening that Moses said he shook with fear.
22 You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God, where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. 23 Here you will find all of God’s dearest children, whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. 24 And Jesus is here! He is the one who makes God’s new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel.
25 Make sure that you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey the one who speaks to you from heaven? 26 When God spoke the first time, his voice shook only the earth. This time he has promised to shake the earth once again, and heaven too.
27 The words “once again” mean that these created things will someday be shaken and removed. Then what cannot be shaken will last. 28 We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect. 29 Our God is like a destructive fire!
The peril of being in the presence of God like that is it is dangerous! When God speaks he is serious – and we are not always ready to hear it.
Now, we come to a place of the Presence of the Living God.
This is a great quote from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe asking about Aslan:
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Getting involved with God is not safe. It’s not comfy. God takes hold of our lives. He makes demands on them.
God speaks.
God shakes the earth, he shakes lives.
This God stuff is serious.
But ultimately it is very good.
Lord,
today,
speak to me,
shake me,
refine me,
I pray.
I stay here,
I wait for you.
To speak your word,
to do your work in me
Pam's Perambulation 