God Wants to be Near (Monday Morning Faith)
One of the most beautiful truths in Exodus is that God doesn't simply want to save His people. He wants to live with them.
After rescuing Israel from Egypt and making a covenant with them, God begins giving Moses detailed instructions for the tabernacle, the priests, the sacrifices, and the worship of His people. At first, all those details can seem overwhelming. There are garments to make, sacrifices to offer, oil to prepare, incense to burn, and rituals to follow. But underneath all those instructions is one simple truth: God wants to be near His people.
Exodus 29:45 says, “I will live among the people of Israel and be their God.” That's the heart of the whole thing. But there's a problem. God is holy, and His people are not. That means us. We are not holy. So God provides a way for sinful people to live in the presence of a holy God. First, God provides a mediator. Aaron was appointed as the high priest. His garments weren't simply beautiful clothing. They communicated something important. Exodus 28 tells us that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were placed on the priest's shoulders and over his heart. Think about that picture. When Aaron entered the presence of God, he didn't go in simply as Aaron. He carried the people with him. There is something deeply comforting about knowing that someone is representing you.
And that's where Aaron points us toward Jesus.
Jesus is our perfect High Priest. We don't have to somehow make ourselves worthy enough to approach God. We don't have to carry the burden of proving ourselves. Jesus carries us into God's presence. Second, God provides a sacrifice. Exodus 29 describes the sacrifices that would be offered as the priests and the people were consecrated to God. Why was this necessary? Because sin is more serious than we often realize. We usually think about sin in terms of what it does to us. It makes us feel guilty. It brings consequences. It damages relationships. But Scripture teaches us to look vertically as well as horizontally. Sin is ultimately an offense against God.
That's why simply feeling bad isn't enough. Sure, we can feel guilty about what we've done, but our guilt doesn't fix our relationship with God. That's why God provides a sacrifice. And ultimately, that's where the gospel becomes so beautiful. God doesn't simply tell us to try harder. He doesn't tell us to somehow make ourselves good enough. He provides the sacrifice Himself.
Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world and calls His people to live in His presence. Exodus 30 gives instructions about washing, anointing oil, incense, and worship. These weren't merely religious rituals. They reminded Israel that God's presence was supposed to affect their everyday lives. God wasn't supposed to be someone they visited occasionally. He was their God. He lived among them.
There's a wonderful Christian figure named Brother Lawrence who lived in the seventeenth century. We took some time yesterday to talk about his life and legacy in living a simple quite holy life. He spent much of his life working in a monastery kitchen. He washed dishes, prepared food, and did ordinary work. But he learned to practice the presence of God. He understood that you don't have to be standing in a church building to live with God. You can experience His presence while washing dishes. While driving. While working. While raising children. While answering emails. While caring for a spouse. While doing the ordinary things of life. That is something a lifelong churchgoer can easily forget.
The word “dwell” in Exodus carries the idea of settling down or living among someone. God wasn't interested in being an occasional visitor. He was establishing His presence in the middle of His people. And that is still God's desire. The God we worship on Sunday is the God who walks with us on Monday. He is with us when we're at work. He is with us when we're parenting. He is with us when we're struggling. He is with us when we're making decisions. He is with us when nobody else is watching. So perhaps the question we need to ask isn't simply, “Did I meet with God this Sunday?”
The better question is: “Am I living with God every day?”
God wants to be near us. He provides the mediator. He provides the sacrifice.
And He invites us to live every day in His presence.
Prayer:
God, thank You for wanting to be near me. Thank You for providing Jesus so I can come into Your presence. Help me remember that You are with me not only on Sunday, but every day. Teach me to honor You in the ordinary moments of my life. I want You to dwell in every part of my life. In Jesus' Name I Pray, Amen.
