He Is Holy

  When considering God, whether in the daily thought processes for decision making or simply meditating on Him in prayer, what is the most intimidating thing to you?  What about Him makes you tremble the most?
  First, let me clarify that being intimidated by God isn't a bad thing.  Nor does it necessarily keep you from drawing near to Him.  When understood, even a little bit, it will endear you to Him like never before and stir deep longings in the heart for Him.  I realize I gave it away in the title, but when reading, praying, or just thinking about God consider His holiness.
  As we read of the many attributes of God in the Scripture, understand that all of them fit under the umbrella of His holiness.  Anger, joy, long-suffering, wrath, goodness, loving-kindness, faithfulness, tenderheartedness, meek, humble, just, etc...  All of these instantly bring some sort of memory or existing paradigm into our minds, which are really not that helpful in our quest to know Him.
  He is holy.  Holy (meaning, 'separate'), is the central revelation of God in the Scripture.  Why is this so intimidating?  Well, first let's clarify that we are not talking about the fact that God has never had even a dirty thought.  While this is true, this is not the meaning of holiness when applied to God.  He is not separate from sin only...His is separate from everything.  Meaning - that you don't have an existing paradigm or memory that helps you understand what He's like in any of these other descriptions. He is totally 'other-than' anything anyone has ever known or experienced.  So, when you read that God is angry, has wrath, is good, is love, etc...you have no idea what that means!  Kinda scary at first thought huh?
  The implications are pretty intense.  This begs the question, "If God is so other than, is there any way to know what He's like?"  In some sense this question has been the motivating factor for all human existence.  The truth is that is absolutely impossible to know what He is like....UNLESS He decides to reveal Himself to you.  You cannot, by any means, choose to 'go after God' on your own initiative and actually find Him.  The good news - no, the most wonderful news you've ever heard - is that He has desired that You know what He is like.  He has revealed Himself in the Scripture, which prophesied about the day when He would take on flesh.
  This in itself told us a great deal about the Holy One.  He wanted to be known.  This is the confidence that we have in Jesus to draw near to God.  It is not only that we can be forgiven, but that He wants us to draw near to Him.  When we looked at Jesus, we saw the fullness of God.  God wanted us to see Him, and know with confidence what He is like.  He is the pinnacle of all of God's self-revelation.  If we know Him, we know the Father.  If we do not, we do not know the Father.
   The revelation of the Father being 'good' is of absolutely no use in and of itself.  Being one of His attributes, being 'good' is just as impossible for us to know as He Himself.  Him revealing Himself is the only way I can know what good, just, kind, meek, humble, faithful etc...really are.
  Good evidence for this lies in the common use of words like 'good'.  'God is good', 'that was a good burrito', 'this is a good song'.  Clearly, God and the burrito are not on the same level!  So then, the question remains...what is God like?  He has revealed Himself in the Messiah of Israel throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament.
  The point of all of this is actually an encouragement about the self-revelation of God.  Like we said, the only way that you can possibly know Him is if He chooses to reveals Himself.  The good news is that He has!  However, we also have to recon with the fact that He has revealed Himself with clarity in specific ways.  He is not only totally other than, but, being God, He has a monopoly of His own self-revelation.  He has to decide how, when, and where you can see what He is like.
  The face that He would give us His Word is so kind!  He has actually given fallen humans, with corrupt fallen minds, the ability to know what He is like.  Unfortunately, what we have done is we have taken those areas where He has revealed things about Himself and we have disregarded those things that are not appealing to us.  It is so kind that He would actually give fallen flesh the ability to behold and receive revelation of the most delightful thing in the universe.  Historically, the church has constantly rallied around individuals who emphasize the attributes that appeal to us, and make light of the others which challenge our existing worldview.
  If we had eyes to see rightly, we would value the knowledge of God above every other commodity.  Everything would be on the chopping block if the knowledge of Him were at stake.  However, as we come to the Scripture, we seldom have the courage to approach it this way.
  I have been teaching others the Bible in some capacity for several years.  So, as I come to Scripture there is always a temptation to simply search it out to justify what I have already communicated to others.  It is essential that we view the knowledge of God as the great goal for, not only our Bible study, but existence.  Of all that we have been given to steward in this life, surely this is the most valuable.
  I want to write and encourage you in this area.  The Holy One has chosen to reveal Himself to you.  Everything that you have thought of Him before today, if not birthed in His own self-revelation through the Word should be on the chopping block.  Your most inspired thought apart from God's self-revelation is vain at best, idolatrous at worst.  At the end of the day, we have nothing promised or hoped for that is of any more value.  All that we posses which is not the knowledge of God is merely ashes that might be exchanged for beauty if we come to Him today.

  Lastly, I want to leave you with a quote and video from Francis Chan.

"...I am like a piece of clay that is trying to explain to other pieces of clay what the Potter is like...our only hope is that He would reveal to us what He is like, and then we can just repeat those things."

  This is a great video!  Enjoy.