Jeffrey Klein 00:10
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's daily dose in the Word of God. It's Tuesday, June 14, this is Jeff Klein. I'll be reading from Exodus chapter 20:18-21. "When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear. And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!” As the people stood in the distance, Moses approached the dark cloud where God was."
Jeffrey Klein 00:53
When I read these stories from Exodus, I'm struck by a couple of things first, if only we preserve this trembling fear of the Lord, for our worship and our lives, we might actually, you know, be better for it at times. But secondly, I'm so glad that we don't have this fear in front of the Lord that now we can be called God's friends because of the work of Jesus on the cross. I'm so glad that we don't have to stay at a distance. feel afraid to approach God and be fearful of God speaking to us for fear that we will die. We can enjoy a relationship with God, we can be close and hear God's voice and approach him without fear. James encourages us to draw nearer to God and He will draw near to you. Today, I hope you will lean into this the closest you can have with a God who is so transcendent and powerful, that we have no business coming near him. The privilege we have to enjoy a deep friendship with this God because Jesus has opened the way and the Holy Spirit lives within us if we have invited Jesus and so don't say that a distance come close, where you can see and hear the Lord your God.