The Intoxicating Presence of God

slap

Whack!

The presence of the Holy Spirit nearly knocked me over.

We were running late to church for a lot of reasons, and entered the sanctuary in the middle of the first worship song.

To be honest, I had a bad attitude going to church Sunday.

TLU Retreat 2016

I was tired from serving at a women’s retreat, and exhausted from the six-hour drive home the night before. It would have been easier to watch a sermon on TV.

But I obediently attended the service, thinking it was the right thing to do for my family.

Then it happened.

praise crowd

The moment I walked into the sanctuary, God’s presence enveloped me.

And as I watched a majority of the congregation raise their arms in praise to the LORD, I fought back tears.

He was there.

God’s presence infiltrated that place, and I was a witness, and a benefactor.

Holy of Holies

I think this must have been what it was like in ancient biblical times, when the priests entered the Holy of Holies in the temple. In those days that was where God dwelled.

Were they overtaken by the intoxicating presence of the Lord?

In Leviticus 9, after Moses and Aaron completed the process God laid out for a sin offering, they went into the tent of meeting. While the Word doesn’t say it, you know Moses and Aaron had a conversation with God. When they exited the Holy of Holies, they were filled to the brim with Almighty God’s presence, and came out and blessed the people. To add an exclamation point, “the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown” (Leviticus 9:23-24).

On Sunday, I wanted to fall face down, but my pride wouldn’t let me do it. That’s how strong God’s presence was.

churchserving

I repent of begrudgingly going to church.

I repent of not expecting to meet the LORD face-to-face in his holy place.

I repent of being irreverent before I walked into his presence.

I don’t know about you, but I believe church has gotten too casual.

We’ve lost a holy reverence when we walk into God’s House.

We need to regain a healthy fear of the LORD.

Instead of chatting during the service.

Checking our cell phone.

Drifting to the “to do” list during the sermon.

appointment_book

We don’t act like we have an appointment with God.

But we do, even when our spirit is not right, going in.

Will you join me in expectation as we worship this Saturday or Sunday?

Will you treat your church sanctuary like the Holy of Holies?

Will you enter humbly into God’s presence and give him your total focus?

While we don’t have to offer up a sacrifice so we can enter his presence, I believe our sacrifice is laying our undivided attention, and our hearts at his altar. (LBW)

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