On Sunday, Joan shared a word and many of you have been asking for a copy of it. One person summed up what was felt: this is important and we want to understand it and not lose what God is saying. Joan called this ‘My Journey with my God. God’s holiness, Psalm 18. 10th Feb 2019.’
Do I really ‘get’ God’s holiness?
We sing, ‘Your glory, Lord, is what our hearts long for; to be overcome by your presence Lord’
But do we understand what we’re asking for?
I saw it last night; God’s holiness. I had a glimpse of this holiness in a terrifying yet thrilling way.
Slowly over the years I’ve been seeing more and more of God’s big picture where, starting with Abraham, he chose a people for himself. All through the Old Testament, I’ve seen his wrath, his passion and jealousy with which he kept this nation holy. He destroyed nations, armies, kings and families that he might have a people for himself.
I don’t know how often I’ve said or heard the words, God can’t look at sin. I know the power and darkness of evil are real. But last night I saw God’s hatred of sin from a new perspective. I saw the indescribable power of his holiness.
His holiness is so pure, so powerful, so true that it breaks through the power of darkness and destruction with a terror that can only leave the enemy trembling.
I know it’s a cliché, but God spoke to me through his word. There’s no other way to say it.
David truly understood this holiness. Verses 7 to 15 of Psalm 18 describe the power of God’s holiness and the power of his wrath and anger at sin and evil.
The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains
shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his
mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the
wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his
canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds
advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of
lightning.
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.[d]
14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he
routed them.
15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth
laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your
nostrils.
And why? Because he desired an intimate relationship with his child.
This terrifying God whose power and anger and wrath have blasted their way through destruction and darkness gently reaches down and lifts his own child from those deep waters.
It’s only as I get a glimpse of this holiness that I will truly desire a pure heart that I might fearlessly come into the presence of this holy God as my Lord and Saviour God.