Year 1, Day 98: Leviticus 9

Seeing Glory

The glory of the Lord appears to those who are assembled.  (Leviticus 9:23)  I won’t lie to you.  There is always a tinge of jealousy when I read passages like this.  A small part of me jumps up and down inside of me with all the excitement of a five year old at Christmas saying “I want to see God, too!”

And then I wake up.  Not literally – but spiritually – I wake up.  I ask myself a simple question: “have I prepared myself to see the glory of the Lord?”  Some people may consider me a spiritual person, and maybe I am.  But I am by no means Aaron.

The list of sins of which I am guilty are as long – and actually significantly longer – than my right arm!  I fear that I have more in common with Nadab and Abihu - teaser for tomorrow’s reading – than I do with Aaron and Phinehas Aaron’s grandson.  Do I want to see the glory of the Lord?  Absolutely!  Do I live my life as though I am prepared to see the glory of the Lord?  No, not really.  I can say all the right words.  But this is one sinful person writing these blog posts.

Living to See Glory

There are many things in this world I would like to have happen.  Many of those things are actually altruistic in nature, too!  But they don’t happen because I have not set myself up to see them happen.  I don’t really live like I expect them to happen.  I don’t take seriously God’s desires, God’s ways, and God’s calling.  So I go on living as though I would love to see the glory of the Lord; I also must face the reality that I don’t live as though I should see it.

Reconciliation

Of course, this then leads me to a wider perspective on this passage.  Notice that Aaron offered his sacrifice before telling the people to get their sacrifice ready.  How could Aaron ever lead the people unless he himself was reconciled to God?  How can anyone who is not reconciled to God ever hope to lead anyone to be reconciled to God?

So it is with prayer, Bible study, service, giving, relationships, and worship.  How can any of us ever expect to do anything meaningful in these areas unless we ourselves are first reconciled to God?  If we are content living in this sinful state as we are, how can we make any kind of statement to the people around us?

No, let us first be reconciled to God.  We must each clean our own house before we can ever dream of cleaning the house of another.  I’m not saying we have to be perfect, of course.  None of us can ever hope to obtain that status until God recreates us without sin following the return of Christ.  But unless we are reconciled with God, what can we do for Him?

I’m not asking how much I love God or how much I believe in God.  Both of those things are true without doubt.  I do love God.  I do believe in Him and the salvation that comes through Him.  But am I reconciled to God?

Of course, through Jesus I am.  But I’m talking more than just the Sunday School depth answer.  I’m talking more than just the “Sinner’s Prayer” type of reconciliation.  I’m asking if I really want to be reconciled to God in my whole person?  Am I willing to forego my sinful ways and truly embrace His ways?  Am I willing to be His priest in the way He wants me to be and not the way I want to be?

Now there’s a question worth pondering.

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