Meeting God

Last night we were blessed to have Bryan Gumpy teach on 1 John 1:5-10. At one point in the message he mentioned a story about a play that he was in when he was young. It was a church play and so at one point in the play a woman finds herself face to face with Jesus. She begins to jump around and leap for joy all the while clinging on to Jesus. After the play a women came up to young Bryan and told him that she thought that upon meeting her Lord and Savoir she would most likely fall down on her face and worship.

This not only stuck with Mr. Gumpy but is something that I have thought about a lot. Christians are far too lax in their thoughts and attitudes toward our King and God. In the Bible we certainly to not see people putting on displays of such silly enthusiasm when they encounter Jesus that would rival only the fans of the Phoenix Cardinals. When Mary Magdaline does cling to Jesus he rebukes her (John 20:17).

Here are a few other examples from scripture of people encountering God (this includes the resurrected Jesus).

Genesis 28:16-19 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.

Exodus 34:6-8 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 worshiped.

Judges 13:20-22 And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground. The angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God."

Daniel 10:5-9 lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

Acts 9:3-9 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Revelation 1:17a When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

Well there are more that I can think of but hopefully this should suffice to prove my point. Worship God with reverence, fear, awe, trepidation, passion, single-mindedness, for His names sake. Not in a self-styled way that reveals your true focus, Yourself!