Ezekiel 1:28 - Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on
a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was
the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I
fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.
God called many prophets to deliver his words to his people
before the Messiah appeared to do it himself. Ezekiel was called when he was
about 30…as he lived among a group of God’s people taken to Babylon. He was just hanging out along the waters near
the river Chebar when a vision came upon
him.
He saw a cloud with inner fire and lightning…strange creatures
with human form mixed with animal parts….wheels that could go any direction
without turning around…and God himself sitting on his throne. I first thought
of how similar the vision was to the ones John describes in Revelation 4….but
then my spirit got caught up in this last verse….where he fell before God in
total awe of who he was.
The spirit of God had entered him during his vision….giving
him the strength to stand before God…but when he heard his voice he fell face
down. Perhaps it was from a simple awe of his appearance…..or perhaps he was
just so overcome with God’s presence his human form could not look upon his
face….so he spent the rest of his vision on his knees…listening for God’s
directions.
I had a simple vision once while at a youth camp worship
service. During the music I closed my eyes to worship and saw face after face slowly
emerge out of a sky filled with white fluffy clouds. I am sure that Jesus was the last face I saw
as the music ended. I smiled for weeks with the knowledge that God was telling
me I would touch those people somehow with the task he would give me….even
though I recognized none of them.
I will admit that I have only been so overcome with the
presence of God one time in my life that I fell to my face. I was at the altar….asking
God to strengthen me with as much of his spirit that I could handle….when I
felt so overcome my knees buckled and I was on the floor crying and thanking
him for just being him. They were not sad tears…but rather thankful …joyful
tears that he would love me enough to forgive me and let me somehow be a vessel
for him.
Perhaps we need to seek his presence more often in our busy
lives. Perhaps my worship hasn’t been
focused enough to receive any more of these treasured moments of experiencing
his love in such a tangible …memorable way. Perhaps this is the way that David
felt when he wrote….This is the day that the Lord has made….I will rejoice and be
glad in it …from Psalm 118. Sure can’t wait to get to church now…and see what
he has in store to strengthen and uplift this tired ole gal. Perhaps if I focus
more…I will be able to hear his voice more clearly when he speaks.
Father…thank you for the reminder that you are so awesome that
we won’t be able to handle your full presence while we still inhabit these
human bodies you gave us. Forgive me for
the times that I have forgotten to kneel in your presence and seek you …and
missed your voice tell me what to do. Help me to really worship you…to
seek your spirit as I sing and read your
Bible…and pray with my friends at church today.
Rain down your Holy Spirit as never before in every church around the
world…and shower all your people with a huge dose of strength and comfort and
faith to see us through the task you will send us all out to do in the world
today. Amen.
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