Jan 19 - Gazing Upon the Beauty of the Lord

"One thing have I asked of the LORD," writes the psalmist,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple." (Psalm 27:4)


During the past couple weeks of prayer this verse has been transformed from beautiful poetry to a statement of purpose, a value statement, a thesis statement for my life. I have become convicted that I have often envisioned a successful life as one where I am able to express myself in as many different ways as possible. I pursue interests in movies, theology, good foods and drinks, political discussions, etc. The list could go on for a long while. But over the past ten days or so God has been speaking very clearly that he wants me to have one goal. I've rephrased the psalmist's cry in my own words: One thing I ask, to explore the mystery of God's love for all of eternity starting today.

At prayer this morning we began by singing a melody of "Lord your Beautiful," "Oh Come Let us Adore Him," and "We Exalt Thee." I wish I could tell you what else we prayed about, but I couldn't if I had too. After that song I was brought to my knees for a long while. I could feel the Holy Spirit working on my heart. I couldn't put words to it. I just know that it was uncomfortable. I was at ease because I knew that the Spirit was doing a good work. But it was uncomfortable because impure parts of my heart were being removed.

At the same time I was meditating on the psalmist desire to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD. How can we gaze upon the beauty of the LORD when GOD told Moses that no one can see his face and live? My concern became less with the concern of living and more with in what way would we die if we saw God's face? I have no doubt that the sinful parts of ourselves would be destroyed immediately, for no sin can remain in God's presence. It is possible that the parts of our lives that are entangled in that sin will be destroyed with it. In the same way that weeds will often tangle around the roots of other plants and flowers must be sacrificed to remove the weed. So too parts of our selves would be ripped out with the sin that is deeply wound around it. It is certain that the shock of God's holiness would kill our natural body. But I don't believe our spiritual body would be destroyed.

In fact, I think that we would experience what Paul described the resurrection of those who have not died. For Paul this was something that would happen when the Kingdom of God came in fullness. Perhaps God was not so concerned with Moses dying as He wasn't ready to release the fullness of his kingdom at that time. How would we react if we saw a person that had been transformed by a complete encounter with the face of God. If the kingdom had totally broken through in their life. I imagine that the kingdom would be so present in their words and touch that everything they encountered would be recreated according to the final judgement of God.

We have prayed a lot that we could embrace the cross with Christ. We have been asking God for the courage to face the death of our selves. Clearly this is a necessary activity if we are going to gaze upon the beauty of God. For no one can see God and live. If we truly desire to look upon God it will mean death. If we truly desire that "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done" it will mean death. I have no doubt that the reason we have not seen a greater outbreak of the Kingdom in our lives, families, church, and community, is that we have asked for God's presence without being willing to face the death that is required. But we must, WE MUST die in order to be resurrected. If I desire to explore the mystery of God's love for all of eternity starting today, I cannot begin until I am ready for death.