God's love

Scripture: "When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."

I am teaching a friend of mine, through correspondence, about Christianity. He has very little religious background, so I am teaching him, beginning with the very basics.

While writing to him a few days ago, I explained how incredible it is that God is an entity that cannot be measured. God, I explained, is sort of like oxygen - it encompasses the entire world, and yet each of us breathes it individually. But that's where the comparison ends. God spoke the world into existence, placed the stars in the sky, and knows each by name. (Psalm 147:3-4). He has always been, always will be; He knows the past, present and future. He hears each of our individual prayers, knows each of us intimately, and He cares deeply for each and every one of us.

In my letter, I explained how size cannot be attributed to God. I noted how God wanted relationship so much with the Israelites, He contained Himself in a burning bush in order to communicate with Moses. Furthermore, when the Israelites were brought out of Egypt, GOD carefully led them through the desert: "By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night." (Exodus 13:21)

Not only that, but when He came to dwell in the Tent of Meeting, where only Moses and the Levitican priests could enter, they were given several distinct instructions on what was expected of them before they could enter into His Most Holy Presence.

What I found astounding as I wrote this letter to my friend -- is the realization that we are each just a tiny little speck in relation to God!! I mean, I always knew that on some level. But to look at the Old Testament, and to think how Great, Big, Awesome GOD contained Himself in a comparably teeny, tiny tent is astounding! He is immeasurable, and can be merely described in terms of "vastness". Yet, He chose to "limit" Himself, in a burning bush and pillars of fire and clouds. And as I considered how the One who created the universe -- met personally with the priests in the temple, I thought about how He chose to cloak Himself in a tent, so as not to frighten or burn against "the common man."

Think about a miniature dollhouse. Little homes, little cars, little people. Can you imagine how small you would have to be to fit on such a model? To fit into one of those tiny cars or walk through the front door of a home no taller than a couple of inches?

God wanted relationship so strongly that He chose to confine Himself in a tiny little tent to speak with Moses! (Exodus 33:7-11)

At the same time, God was not to be reckoned with haphazardly. There were consequences to treating Him without due respect, as noted in Leviticus 10:1-3: "Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when He said: "Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored."

As I explained all this in my letter, it made me all the more appreciative of Jesus coming to be our Mediator. GOD became man in the form of Jesus to meet us down here. He could be touched, His feet washed, His hands held, without fear of being struck down and turned to dust. He chose to suffer a torturous death in order for us all to be saved. He could have destroyed His tormentors, opening the ground underneath their feet to fall to their deaths.

He didn't. Because He was on a mission to save the world. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: light has come into the world but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." John 3:16-19

Reflect this Easter on how Great, Big, Awesome GOD came to earth, this little speck of a planet, embodied in Jesus Christ, and dined with the disciples, healed the sick, did more miracles than could even be recorded; suffered, died and rose again, all because He wanted a personal relationship with each one of us!!! He loves us THAT MUCH!!

That really is GOOD NEWS!!!

Prayer request:Pray for those who don't yet know Jesus, and that perhaps God can use you to share with them the The Good News.

Prayer: Lord, as we enter into Good Friday and Easter, please help us to keep in mind the greatest sacrifice you paid for each of our lives. We love and adore You for what You did on the cross, and we can never repay You. By Your blood, our lives were redeemed in full. Help us to be better evangelists by our words and actions so others may be saved. Amen.