Plastic crowns and consuming fire

I had another one of those moments yesterday where I feel like I am looking at the world with my eyes, but looking directly at the Lord with my heart. One of those moments where I feel that the Lord taps me on the shoulder, so to speak, and says, "look carefully, right now, here I am" and I am allowed to see so clearly another aspect of who my Lord and Savior is. I delight in these moments of sweet fellowship and only wish that I had more of them. There is a sweet little song that a friend shared with me not long ago and the beginning goes like this:

The more I seek you, the more I find you.

The more I find you, the more I love you.

That is so true. God is not a distant God. He promises to those that seek Him in truth (His word) that they will find Him. So here we were at the table for lunch yesterday afternoon. Juliana is decked out in an upside-down pink checkered liner from a decorative basket as a veil and a very "fancy" jeweled crown. As Craig prayed before our meal I peeked my eyes open towards Juliana as she was busy folding her hands, squinting her eyes shut very hard, and was be-bopping around in her chair. I was just generally thinking on how awesome it is that the Lord hears our prayers and, as I looked at Juliana, I was immediatedly overwhelmed by both the Lord's complete holiness and His amazing mercy and grace. In scripture God is described as a "consuming fire" Hebrews 12:29. He is perfect in holiness and also perfect in justice, therefore by His very nature He cannot tolerate sin. “O Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God my Holy One, we will not die…Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrong.” Habakkuk 1:12-13

Where in the world am I going with this, you say? Well, as I looked at Juliana I was overwhelmed with the fact that a 3 year old girl in plastic princess glam can dwell with the God of the Universe, the "consuming fire". “The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: ‘Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?’ He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion…” (Isaiah 33:14-16) No, my sweet Juliana does not in and of herself walk righteously, nor has any man, except for Jesus. "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 "But, God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindess toward us in Christ Jesus." Eph 2:4-7

Juliana has repented and trusted Christ to forgive her sins. I believe she has done this sincerely, therefore, I believe she has been counted righteous. "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Cor 5:21 In the Ephesians verse we are told that believers have been made alive or given new life - one in which we dwell in constant, close, and very real fellowship with the Lord. Unbelievers lack this priveledge and will not be able to withstand the consuming fire. They lack the right garments (Matthew 22) to protect them, that is the righteousness of Christ to cover their sins.

God: Perfect in holiness. Maker of the universe. The consuming fire.

Juliana: My little girl with the basket liner and plastic crown on her head, struggling to sit still, obviously not comprehending the awe with which she ought to be approaching her Savior.

Yet, she is not consumed. She may dwell safely with Him. Not just dwelling, but recieving immeasurable riches in Christ only because our God who is supreme in holiness is also supreme in mercy and grace.

Man, that is crazy. I am overwhelmed with the love of God that is so different from our own. It knows no limits. It is extravagant and does not require us to earn it. I'm amazed by the righteousness of God that covers my little girl so that she is not consumed in that day when we will all stand before this fire that is never quenched. Better yet, knowing vividly the sins of my own heart I stand amazed that I will someday dwell with the consuming fire along with my little girl. He has been most good to me, I do believe. Praise the Lord, for He is mighty to save!