Approaching The Almighty

Jesus’ death on the cross gives us full access to a life of peace and power with God.

“Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king,,,He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD...He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success. Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem...he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defense...he built cisterns...he loved the soil...his fame spread far and wide...after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense...It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense...Uzziah...became angry. While he was raging at the priests...leprosy broke out on his forehead. King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house—leprous, and banned from the temple" ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭26‬:‭3‬-‭21

What are you most proud of? If you were to share a success or successes, what would you boast about? Uzziah did many great things during his lifetime. This story began like a classic hero novel. The young hero gained wisdom and started to grow in power. Uzziah followed in the footsteps of Solomon. He was instructed in the fear of the Lord, which Solomon said is the beginning of wisdom, and he had success as long as he sought God. By seeking God, he learned how to work for His will and by His wisdom. Is that what you do? Do you enjoy your work? Are you finding meaning? Can you hear God guiding you?

Uzziah put in the work. He built, invented, and strengthened the nation with the wisdom and help he received from God. Uzziah was a gifted inventor and builder, and the text said he loved the soil. What do you love? What are you passionate about? Inventing and loving soil might seem like random details, but they reveal part of Uzziah's unique identity in the kingdom of God. He was made to invent. He found gladness in working with his hands and getting them dirty. He was not meant for a desk job. Some of us are doing work we were not made to do and should not be surprised when work feels like work.

Fearing the Lord God teaches us to live rightly before Him with reverence. Fearing the Lord is meant to be a daily reminder that there is a right way to approach your life and to approach the One who gave you life. It will also help us gain insight into how we were made. The life that honors God is marked by humility, honesty, and learning how to use what we have to do His will.

The turning point in the story was when Uzziah started to like seeing his name in headlights. The text said his fame spread and his pride increased. Pastor Mark Batterson says anything you do not turn into praise turns into pride. Is that not the truth and exactly what happened in this text? Uzziah got big in his britches, so much so that he changed the way he approached God.

He did what he wanted rather than what God wanted. Pride tells us that life is all about us and that we should do what we feel is right. It was not right for him to do the job that only the purified priest was qualified to do. God was not pleased. He inflicted a punishment and cast Uzziah from His presence.

This may seem like an odd example that does not fit into our modern lives, but consider how you approach God each day. The longer you are around someone, the more you tend to take the relationship for granted. Are you casual in your faith, or is Christ the center of your life? Do your words reflect reverence, or do they reflect the culture in which we live? Peter said to be holy as God is holy. Is pursuing holiness a hallmark of your faith walk?

“The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your statutes, LORD, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭93‬:‭1‬-5

Truth has a beautiful way of re-centering us. Truth brings us back to the beginning and can help us get back on track with walking rightly with God. Truth tells us that God is the eternal King. He is the Creator of all the heavens and the earth. This is God's world, and we are blessed to live in the place He has given to us. The fear of the Lord reminds us to see that our lives are part of God's plan and that we are not the ones in control.

The psalmist described God's majesty. He said God is clothed in it. He is essentially calling us to see that there is no one above God. He is the highest, the Most High God. Ask yourself, what do you see when you see God? Do you see His greatness? Does this not cause us to naturally humble ourselves in light of that greatness? The psalmist said holiness adorns the house of the Lord. There is a holiness to God that is not human. He is sinless, perfect, always faithful, righteous, and true. How do you see God? Do you have a right view of His majesty and holiness?

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong. Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one...Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners, This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them" ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬-‭20

Solomon calls us to holiness. He continues challenging those who listen to reflect on how they approach God and how they see God. Do you guard your steps when you go to church, or do you make the service all about you? Many people measure going to church by what music they like, what message they like, and what medium they like. How does that approach reflect the fear of the Lord? Does it reflect reverence for the gift of getting to draw close to God and experience His presence?

Wisdom tells us to be slow to speak and let our words be few. Why? Why does this matter to God and for your own growth? Start by remembering who knows what is right, who knows what is best, and in whom the fullness of wisdom is found. It is not you. It is God. We would do well to learn to listen more and honor our Holy God, not because we are afraid, but because He is worthy.

Solomon highlighted some barriers to holiness. He called out lovers of money and consumerism. He said they always want more and never have enough. They have no satisfaction. It is impossible not to see the prevalence of this in United States culture. Every one of us has had something at one time or another that we just had to have that now sits on our shelves. Every one of us has experienced the influence of desiring more but not feeling satisfied with what we have. Solomon said he saw people who were harmed by their hoarding. Sometimes getting more material possessions can keep us from having a heart wholly devoted to God. Jesus said you cannot serve both God and money.

The fear of the Lord reminds us that the right and holy way to live is to see everything as a gift from the Majestic God. God does not owe us anything. He does not have to bless us or provide for us. He does it because He is Holy, Righteous, and Faithful in all He does. Jesus came to help us change the way we think so that we might have peace, purpose, and more of God's presence. Jesus came to break the power of sin and the stranglehold of possessions and pride, and to set us free. Where do you need more freedom? Where do you need to let go of something earthly so you can receive the heavenly gift of holiness?

“Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel and say: “ ‘What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She brought up one of her cubs, and he became a strong lion. He learned to tear the prey and he became a man-eater. The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt. Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of abundant water. Its branches were strong, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick foliage, conspicuous for its height and for its many branches. But it was uprooted in fury and thrown to the ground. The east wind made it shrivel, it was stripped of its fruit; its strong branches withered and fire consumed them.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭12

Ezekiel said to take up a lament. Do you ever do this? Do you ever let the care you have for others invade your prayer life? God wants us to care. He wants us to lament when others have been led astray and to do what we can to help them find restoration. Ezekiel said to let your heart break for the one who did not live the life they were meant to live.

He used an analogy of a lion made to be strong and mighty but who was ensnared by a foreign nation. The lion who was meant to rule instead lived as a slave. The same snares exist in our lives: the snares of sin, temptation, and lust; the snares of money, possessions, and always wanting more. The same pride that impacted Uzziah impacted the lion.

Ezekiel issued a warning, but we are blessed to be people of the Way. We live in the time after the resurrection, and we know the way back to restoration is Jesus. We preach Christ crucified, for it is Jesus who can turn us from slaves to sin to slaves of righteousness. God says He made you to do great things in His name, by His power, for His purposes. We are meant to be like the Lion of Judah, not the lion who is led into captivity.

“To those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people...Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭31

Paul said if you boast, boast in the Lord. Paul brings us back to where our hearts belong, helping us find the right perspective by fearing the Lord. We do well when we see from a heavenly perspective. We do well when we focus on what God has done, not on what we do not have. We do well when we walk in humility with gratitude. Uzziah became powerful, and his pride was his downfall. Consider for a moment that Jesus had all power and all authority, yet He chose to humble Himself to the point of death on the cross. Do you see how holiness makes all the difference? Our Savior used His greatness to give life to others.

The holy God we could never reach on our own came near to give us peace with God. He came to bring us home. Wisdom is not found on the internet. It is found in relationship with Jesus, who is our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption. Everything we need to draw close to God comes through a right relationship with Jesus.

With Jesus, we learn to find the satisfaction Solomon described in our work. Pride can make us forget Jesus because it redirects our focus onto ourselves. Jesus guides us to do God's will. He is our Shepherd. Always wanting more stuff can keep us from realizing the abundant gifts we already have from our Savior. Take time to consider what God has already done for you. Remember what your life was like before Jesus. Paul said grace and peace are what you have now. Let these precious gifts that were bought by the blood of Christ give you a heart of gratitude.

Focus on the majesty, holiness, and greatness of God. Let His goodness and faithfulness bring your heart peace today. You can trust His wisdom more than your own understanding. You can rely on His strength when you feel weak. He will meet you where you are and help you know the power of the cross. He knows how you were made and how to help you live the life that, like the lion, you were born to live. Honor God by giving Him the glory when things go your way. Let us humbly approach God each day and be people who boast only of what God has done.