It's not like I haven't known that for years. That's the most basic explanation for why Jesus came to earth, died on the cross and rose again. Sin separated us from God, He wanted us to be with Him for eternity, so Jesus died. There's more to it though. It's not just about eternity. It's about the here and now.
Back in the day, and I mean way back in the day, only select people were allowed to be in the presence of God. Only the priests could go into the Holy of Holies where God's Spirit dwelled. Even they had many regulations to follow. They had to live holy lives. To be in God's presence they had to follow very specific rules. They could only enter His presence with worship and sacrifice. If anyone else entered the Holy of Holies or if the priests didn't follow the rules exactly, they died.
I've been reading a lot in my Bible about the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle, the regulations the Israelites had to live by. The Bible makes it pretty clear that being with God was both a privilege and a responsibility. The priests back in the day may have lived with a lot of requirements. But they had a privilege no one else had.
A sacrifice had to be made for anyone to enter God's presence. That's why Jesus died. God wanted to be with us. He didn't want to be separated from His people. Not by death. But also not by a curtain.
Jesus' death did more than allow us to live with Him for eternity. It allows us to enter His presence now. The sacrifice has been made. By dying on the cross, Jesus granted us the privilege of walking and talking with His Spirit daily. Like the priests in the Old Testament, we can enter His presence. We can seek His will for our own lives. We are constantly in His presence.
As much as I appreciate God's gift to me, the privilege He has blessed me with, I'm starting to question myself. I say I'm grateful to be able to enter His presence, but do I truly honor His presence like I should? I'm not going to be struck down immediately if I don't. Jesus brought grace for that. But after all, He is holy, and holiness deserves to be honored.
God wants more than to just be where we are. He wants to fellowship with us. He wants us to know Him. He wants to be worshipped. When we do that, we enter His presence. It's something we can do every second of every day. Our life looks different when we do. I mean, Exodus says Moses' face was radiant after spending time on the mountain with God.
I'm starting to understand what this looks like in my life. For starters, acknowledging Him all the time. Thanking Him no matter what the circumstances. Even when it's cold and dreary outside. (If you know me, you know how big of a deal it is for me to be thankful for a cold and dreary day.) Letting God shine in my life is something I'm still working on, but I'm beginning to see it as a privilege that comes with the responsibility of sharing it with others.
If you're someone who wants to live in God's presence constantly, make a decision now. Make the decision to fellowship with Him constantly, to worship Him constantly. Make the decision to be obedient to all of His commands. It'll make a difference in your life. Even if you can't see it, someone else will. When they do, they'll be moved to worship the true God as well.
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