The Only One Truly Deserving

As I lovingly cut my daughter's profile out of ivory paper, I was so careful to perfectly shape every curve of her face.  I wanted her beautiful face to perfectly mirror her image, without any imperfections.  And, as I cut, I was filled with awe.  How did the Creator make such a perfect nose, chin, forehead, and child?  She could not be any more wonderful.  And to think He created her with even more care than I used in the multiple profiles I cut and with even more perfection than I could imitate with paper.  He is God and I am human, flawed.

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Romans 11:33  Oh God our God, you are beautiful and perfect are your ways.  Who are we to question you and your ways?  And, yet, you desire a relationship with us, one that allows us to ask, seek and question.  Does this not warrent a relationship of reverence?

In Genesis, six times, Abraham petitions with the Lord to save any remaining godly followers from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  The first time it says Abraham "drew near" to the LORD and asked. The second time he refers to himself as "dust and ashes" before he requests the LORD to change His mind.  Two other times Abraham requests that the Lord not be angry, but petitions that the LORD would save the city even for 10 followers of God. (Genesis 18) 

Abraham who knew God and spoke with God, treaded lightly.  He approached the God of the universe with humility, knowing the LORD's ways were greater than his finite understanding.  God's own son, Jesus Christ approached the father with brokeness.  "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence." (Hebrews 5:7a)  And He was heard because of His "reverence".

Even though God allows us to call Himself  "Abba Father", Daddy, and know Him intimately, should we not have a reverent fear of Him.  Do we approach God too casually?  And does this mean that God may not hear our prayers if we do not approach Him with the right attitude or motive? 

And will we trust Him, "the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God" with whatever response He chooses?  God heard both Abraham and Jesus, but He did not answer both their prayers in the means requested.  God told Abraham He would save Sodom and Gomorrah if there were 10 godly people and there were not, so He destroyed the cities with fire and sulfur.  Jesus, His son, He allowed to die on the cross though Christ asked that, "this cup be taken from me." 

Is God any less for allowing Christ to die?  On the contrary, He is glorified even more that He gave up His only son to save each of us from our own sin.  God made the greatest sacrifice He could make and we question His wisdom.  The least we can do is approach the only true God, who wants to know us personally, with reverence and trust His will completely.

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:28-29)