Bible Reading: Exodus 33 – 34:9
“The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation. And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshipped.” (Exodus 34:6-8)
Who fears the LORD? Who trembles at His holiness and almighty power? And who worships Him for His mercy and grace have been direct to us, filthy sinners, in Jesus Christ?
God is Holy, and we are not. We take God too lightly, forgetting that we deserve to be obliterated in His presence. If we are alive at this very moment, it is only because of His steadfast mercy in Christ.
When Moses saw the glory of God, he bowed down to the ground and worshipped God. When Isaiah saw the holiness of God, he bowed down to the ground and cried, “Woe to me!” (see Isaiah 6). When Peter saw who Jesus was, he fell to his knees and cried, “depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (see Luke 5:1-11).
Have we seen God as these men saw Him? Have we any account to bow down before Him and fear Him in awe?
We have toyed around with God and religion for too long. We have no respect or reverence for God. We live as we want, enjoying the world while meddling in Christianity, thinking that we can have the best of both worlds. No one can serve two masters! Maybe our prosperity in spiritual barrenness is a sign of God’s silent wrath upon us.
Yet, amidst a stiff-necked people, Moses cried, “show me your glory”. Moses prayed for God’s people who were justly about to be abandoned by God lest His wrath consume them. An angel and the blessings of the promised land would follow, but that did not satisfy Moses. He wanted Israel to know God. He sought the one blessing that every man needed for life, that is, to see God for who He really is.
Although the age has changed, our God and our innermost need as humankind have not. God is still Holy and what we need is to see His Holiness and know His glory. There are so few people, let alone teenagers, who fear the Lord. There are so few who have seen His glory. We were created to commune with God in Holiness. Yet, the vast majority of us live while missing the whole purpose of life in the first place.
Those who fervently seek God are labelled as radicals, fanatics. This just shows the condition of Christianity today. Those who earnestly seek to know God will be transformed by His Holiness. Their lives will change, their character will change. There will be only one thing fixed in their eyes — to obey and know the Lord. For that, they will let the world’s joys grow dim. They will endure scorn and mockery. They will even endure death. This is what a true Christian is — one who sets their eyes towards God and God alone, for they fear Him and are ever bowed down in awe and reverence before Him. They do not toy with this life nor waste away their youth in worthless things. They will be radical because they have chosen to deny themselves and bear the cross.
There are only two options in life; to follow Christ or not. Which one are you?
Lord, please teach us to fear You. Teach us to walk in trembling before You who is holy and just yet merciful. Show us Your glory and fix our eyes on You alone. Make our heart’s only desire to obey and get to know You. Win us wholly for You alone. Lord, many in this generation are lost. May You have mercy to revive Your servants once more in this generation, that many may know You and be won for You. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.