By Tom Shanklin
Today, I want to talk to you about something this is at the very
heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ-that is, knowing and experiencing
the Lord on a daily basis.
In reality, all of us are seeking and hungering for fellowship
with our Creator. We may not even realize it. We may be following
after all kinds of substitutes, but down deep inside, as Augustine
has said, "Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts
are restless till they find rest in Thee."
God created us in order to fellowship with us. We were made,
the Bible tells us, in His image and likeness. Through sin, disobedience
and rebellion, we lost this open relationship with the Creator
God. Before the fall of man, God walked with Adam and Eve in the
cool of the day. God spent time hanging out with the crown of
His creation. Adam and Eve enjoyed God everyday!
This business of "enjoying God" should be our everyday
employment. The Westminster catechism states that the chief end
of man is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." We
were created for God's pleasure and, really, the highest and greatest
pleasure that we could ever experience is just simply being in
God's presence.
The problem we have is that there is a separation between us
and God. Our sins have separated us from a Holy, Awesome God.
There is nothing we can do to bridge the gap and find restoration
and healing in our relationship with our Creator. However, God
in His mercy, sent Jesus for just that purpose, to become a sacrifice
for our sins and to give us a second birth. Through Him and by
receiving Him personally as Lord and Savior, our fellowship is
restored and we can approach Almighty God without guilt or shame.
We can enter into His gates with thanksgiving and praise.
This fellowship with God is not just a matter of the externals
of religion, but it is personal. It's spending time with God,
waiting on Him, living in His presence. When Adam sinned, he lost
his personal dignity, and he lost face with God. The Bible tells
us that Adam and Eve hid themselves from the presence of the Lord.
They could not longer look him in the eye.
When a friend who has betrayed you or stolen from you, he can
no longer look you in the eye. He will avoid eye contact, because
he is guilty. Likewise Adam could not stand to look into the searching
eyes of His Creator.
Jesus came to change all that. . . to give us a clean slate.
. . to reconcile us to God our Father. The spiritual barriers
have been removed, the veil has been rent, the way has been made
for us to fellowship and walk in the light of God's glory. The
blood of Jesus and his torn flesh have spiritually become the
entryway for us into the very presence of Almighty God.
So, why should we be satisfied with the externals of religion-the
do's and the don't and the traditions of man and all the rituals?
Let's go beyond all that into a personal loving relationship with
our Lord in the Holy of Holies. As we look into the face of Jesus,
as our spiritual eyes are opened, we will experience change in
our lives. We will reflect the glory of His holiness. Jesus will
become real to us and we will know Him with intimate knowledge.
Saul of Tarsus was on the road to Damascus, following his dead
religious tradition, zealous to destroy the new "evil"
sect of believers in Jesus Christ. But then he met Jesus personally,
and saw Him face to face. Two things happened that day-he recognized
Jesus and he surrendered to Jesus. As a result, a new life began
that day. Today can be your day to come face to face with Jesus
Christ. Look Him in the eyes. Let Him search your heart. Turn
from your sin. Receive Him as your Lord and enjoy Him forever.
God bless you!