God’s holiness and glory, coupled with His imminence and nearness to His people is something that ought to transform daily. We, as His sheep, can cast our sins, our burdens, our cares on Him daily.
The letter of Colossians focuses our minds on at least one great truth: Jesus is above all. He is truly God, the fullness of God. There is no spirituality, authority, or being greater than Him—because He is the sovereign God himself.
As this truth sinks into our minds, it might also become easier for Jesus to seem less personal or less “imminent” the greater our perception of His holiness gets. I think there is a natural reflex in our minds to feel a distance develop between us and someone/something as we are more and more impressed and amazed by something/someone. The smaller we feel in comparison to something, the farther we might also feel.
In one respect, we ought to feel more and more small next to our Savior, because the true height of His glory is far, far beyond anything we can imagine. Apart from the texts we have studied already in Colossians, consider the greatness of this Savior who is in authority over all things at all times in all places and in all cases.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church…
(Eph. 1:22)
For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”
(1 Cor. 15:27)
All things are in subjection to Jesus. He created all things and then purchased redemption and authority by His blood. He is the one above all. “None above Him, none before Him, all of time in His hands. For His throne it shall remain and ever stand.”
Jesus. Is. That. Great.
Amazingly, though, our God is no less imminent and personal though He is infinitely great and beyond and holy. Though He is the one who has the Earth as His footstool, though He is the one who laughs at the kings of the Earth, though He is the one mighty enough to break them and rule over them, He is yet the one who is a personal refuge for His people (Psalm 2).
Friends, as the beloved of God, this infinite, glorious God, is your refuge. He is still the shepherd among His sheep. He is still the one who invites us to come to Him for rest—to take His yoke upon us, as He takes ours from our shoulders. He is the one who had all of our iniquity laid on Him. He is still the one who daily bears us up, from our greatest pains to our everyday burdens. He is the one who stands ready to accept the sufferer and the prodigal. So, no matter our circumstance, whether turning from sin or stuck deep in sorrow and pain, we have no reason to do anything other than run to Jesus.
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
(Psalm 68:19)
All things are under His feet, yet you are in His arms.
The Author:
David Appelt is husband to Rachel and serves as a pastor at Maranatha Community Church in Pickerington, OH. He graduated from Capital University with an emphasis on Music Ministry. He plans on pursuing church planting and academic ministry in the future.
You are right. This is a great reminder that it is “natural” to shrink back while in the presence of awesomeness. What is also “natural” (aka our “human nature”) is our sinfulness.
After Adam and Eve disobeyed God and The Lord came walking in the garden, they hid from His AWSOME presence. Yet, He still compels us to be IN His presence. He still calls us to BE right there and allow Him to hold us is His arms, in His hands (Jn 10:28) while everything is submissive to Him, under his feet.