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Day 4: Approaching the Holy One (Gen 1:1).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you, for you are exalted above the heavens. You are high and lifted up. You are the transcendent, majestic, Creator of all things. You are mighty, infinite, eternal, and holy. Holy, holy, holy are you, Lord God Almighty, the earth is full of your glory. I worship you, O Lord, and I praise you and rejoice to know that your purity, purpose, and sovereignty are untouched by the corruptions of this world that we have ruined. I praise you also, for in your compassion and love you have sent help and redemption to us – feeble and poor sinners, ruined by the fall. My hope is in you. In the midst of the brokenness of my life, I look to you for help. Save me, Lord, I am yours. Break down my pride, wash away all my iniquity, please help me to break the bonds of sin in my life. I lift my eyes to you, please feed me now from your holy word. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reading
Exodus 15 & John 14.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
Meditation
As we consider the holiness of God, an obvious question arises: How can we know him? How can we approach him? Is it even possible to know this God who exists beyond the realms of our comprehension and sense? Can we approach him? Can the infinite distance between God and us be crossed? The answer God gives us in scripture on this question is an emphatic: “Yes!”. God is majestic and holy, infinitely transcendent and above us in every way. And yet he has revealed himself to us! In John’s Gospel 1:1, which draws a deliberate parallel with Genesis 1:1, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Here is another statement of God’s holiness, this time with an explicit reference to God the Son who existed co-eternal with the Father. Later in the passage, in verse 14, we go on to read that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” It is through Christ and Christ alone that we may know the Holy God, just as Jesus said in John 14:6: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” And, unthinkably, as the Apostle John goes on to say in his first epistle, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— (2) the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— (3) that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).
Be ye doers of the word…
The only possible way that you can approach and know the Holy God is through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the point at hand is perfectly clear: all must seek God through Christ. Perhaps most reading these words will have done so, then thanks be to God! But do we retain a humble frame of heart? Pride easily creeps in to our hearts unnoticed, and before long it brings us to look down upon our fellow believers. It brings us to complaining, angry outbursts, and a sense of self-entitlement. To the degree that such sins are part of our lives, pride has arisen, and we have forgotten our humble estate before God. Who were we, that God should condescend to reveal himself to us? Much less take flesh upon himself that we might know him! Much less still that he should die for the sake of rescuing us from the judgment that we had so justly incurred for our sin. Are you humble? Am I? As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7, we are wretches, for it is wretched that we should so little sense the magnitude of Christ’s humility in coming down from the transcendent majesty of his eternal state to take on flesh and blood to save us. Pray that the Lord may work a true sense of wonder in us in the light of the glory of the gospel. And let these things also be a reminder to bring the Gospel of Christ to those around us – he is their only hope!
In coming to God through Christ, there is another application that follows on from this is, and it is an echo of what we considered in our previous meditation: we ought to devote ourselves wholly to God. We ought to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Of all the amazing and wonderful things in this world, God stands apart from them all, he is incomparable in his holiness. In Exodus 15:11 we read: “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” As Christians, we have begun to understand this, that there is none like God. He made us, he made the heavens and the earth and everything in them, and as we think about that – it’s very obvious to see that there is nothing in all the world worthy of our devotion and worship above God. And so we must not set our hearts upon the things of this world – for we have been called in Christ to worship and serve the Holy God. Do not use your time for any other goal – let all that you have be devoted to knowing, loving, and serving him. God made all things for himself, for his good pleasure (Rev 4:11), and so as his creatures we are called to be totally devoted to him.
Is this the story of your life? Is it the story of mine? The psalmist said: “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4). You have been made by the holy God to be devoted to him, and there is no part of our lives that we get to withhold from him. God made you for himself – and so worship the Lord! Devote your life wholly to God in every way. SDG.
Prayer of confession & consecration.
Dear Lord, have I been wholly devoted to you who are worthy of all devotion? No. My heart constantly drags away from you, and constantly seeks to make itself the centre of attention. I have been devoted to the fulfillment of my own desires. O Lord, I am truly wretched that I have not been wholly enraptured with your majestic glory. Please help me, Lord. Please meet me in the squalor of my sin and weakness, and lift up my eyes. One thing I have desired, Lord, that I might gaze upon your beauty. Please lead me to the cross, lead me to my blessed Saviour again. Quicken my heart with love and zeal for you, and turn my eyes upon Jesus, who died for me. I thank you, Lord, for your grace, your mercy, and your compassion. I thank you for your steadfast and unceasing love. Help me only to turn from sin and devote myself wholly unto you. And I pray that all your people in my local church may likewise be wholly enraptured and captivated by your glory. Make us to be a church full of love to you, and joy in you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
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By Reformed devotions from all of scripture.Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise you, for you are exalted above the heavens. You are high and lifted up. You are the transcendent, majestic, Creator of all things. You are mighty, infinite, eternal, and holy. Holy, holy, holy are you, Lord God Almighty, the earth is full of your glory. I worship you, O Lord, and I praise you and rejoice to know that your purity, purpose, and sovereignty are untouched by the corruptions of this world that we have ruined. I praise you also, for in your compassion and love you have sent help and redemption to us – feeble and poor sinners, ruined by the fall. My hope is in you. In the midst of the brokenness of my life, I look to you for help. Save me, Lord, I am yours. Break down my pride, wash away all my iniquity, please help me to break the bonds of sin in my life. I lift my eyes to you, please feed me now from your holy word. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Reading
Exodus 15 & John 14.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.
Meditation
As we consider the holiness of God, an obvious question arises: How can we know him? How can we approach him? Is it even possible to know this God who exists beyond the realms of our comprehension and sense? Can we approach him? Can the infinite distance between God and us be crossed? The answer God gives us in scripture on this question is an emphatic: “Yes!”. God is majestic and holy, infinitely transcendent and above us in every way. And yet he has revealed himself to us! In John’s Gospel 1:1, which draws a deliberate parallel with Genesis 1:1, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Here is another statement of God’s holiness, this time with an explicit reference to God the Son who existed co-eternal with the Father. Later in the passage, in verse 14, we go on to read that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” It is through Christ and Christ alone that we may know the Holy God, just as Jesus said in John 14:6: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” And, unthinkably, as the Apostle John goes on to say in his first epistle, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— (2) the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— (3) that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:1-3).
Be ye doers of the word…
The only possible way that you can approach and know the Holy God is through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so the point at hand is perfectly clear: all must seek God through Christ. Perhaps most reading these words will have done so, then thanks be to God! But do we retain a humble frame of heart? Pride easily creeps in to our hearts unnoticed, and before long it brings us to look down upon our fellow believers. It brings us to complaining, angry outbursts, and a sense of self-entitlement. To the degree that such sins are part of our lives, pride has arisen, and we have forgotten our humble estate before God. Who were we, that God should condescend to reveal himself to us? Much less take flesh upon himself that we might know him! Much less still that he should die for the sake of rescuing us from the judgment that we had so justly incurred for our sin. Are you humble? Am I? As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7, we are wretches, for it is wretched that we should so little sense the magnitude of Christ’s humility in coming down from the transcendent majesty of his eternal state to take on flesh and blood to save us. Pray that the Lord may work a true sense of wonder in us in the light of the glory of the gospel. And let these things also be a reminder to bring the Gospel of Christ to those around us – he is their only hope!
In coming to God through Christ, there is another application that follows on from this is, and it is an echo of what we considered in our previous meditation: we ought to devote ourselves wholly to God. We ought to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Of all the amazing and wonderful things in this world, God stands apart from them all, he is incomparable in his holiness. In Exodus 15:11 we read: “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” As Christians, we have begun to understand this, that there is none like God. He made us, he made the heavens and the earth and everything in them, and as we think about that – it’s very obvious to see that there is nothing in all the world worthy of our devotion and worship above God. And so we must not set our hearts upon the things of this world – for we have been called in Christ to worship and serve the Holy God. Do not use your time for any other goal – let all that you have be devoted to knowing, loving, and serving him. God made all things for himself, for his good pleasure (Rev 4:11), and so as his creatures we are called to be totally devoted to him.
Is this the story of your life? Is it the story of mine? The psalmist said: “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple” (Ps 27:4). You have been made by the holy God to be devoted to him, and there is no part of our lives that we get to withhold from him. God made you for himself – and so worship the Lord! Devote your life wholly to God in every way. SDG.
Prayer of confession & consecration.
Dear Lord, have I been wholly devoted to you who are worthy of all devotion? No. My heart constantly drags away from you, and constantly seeks to make itself the centre of attention. I have been devoted to the fulfillment of my own desires. O Lord, I am truly wretched that I have not been wholly enraptured with your majestic glory. Please help me, Lord. Please meet me in the squalor of my sin and weakness, and lift up my eyes. One thing I have desired, Lord, that I might gaze upon your beauty. Please lead me to the cross, lead me to my blessed Saviour again. Quicken my heart with love and zeal for you, and turn my eyes upon Jesus, who died for me. I thank you, Lord, for your grace, your mercy, and your compassion. I thank you for your steadfast and unceasing love. Help me only to turn from sin and devote myself wholly unto you. And I pray that all your people in my local church may likewise be wholly enraptured and captivated by your glory. Make us to be a church full of love to you, and joy in you. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Get full access to Old things New. at rcbhpastor.substack.com/subscribe