WorshipCentral

The God who is there

If I think about God’s glory and holiness, I’m reminded of just how other he is, how much beyond my highest and best thoughts he will always be. 1 Tim 6:15-16 ‘God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen.’

The God who is here

And when I think about God entering into the human existence as the Word became flesh, I’m struck at the lengths he went to identify with us and show us his love and grace. John 1 ‘14…to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God … 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth…18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.’

The God who is there and here

The unknowable God made known; the unimaginable God whom no-one can see wrapped in an ordinary human body; the God who lives in unapproachable light becoming the true light that brings light to the world; the immortal God being born, living, and dying in my place.

My challenge as a worshipper is to try to hold both of these views of God at the same time. To wonder at God’s supreme otherness while at the same time marvelling that God became man to live on this earth.

The theologian from a few centuries back, Jonathan Edwards, said what makes Christ so beautiful is that in him we find “an admirable conjunction (or combination) of diverse excellencies.” (it’s worth thinking about that phrase for a bit!!)

John Piper comments on this phrase: ‘We admire Christ for his transcendence, but even more because the transcendence of his greatness is mixed with submission to God. We marvel at him because his uncompromising justice is tempered with mercy. His majesty is sweetened by meekness. In his equality with God he has a deep reverence for God. Though he is worthy of all good, he was patient to suffer evil.’

As worship leaders, how can we best help the people we’re leading to see the diversity of the excellence of Christ? Do we have a tendency to dwell one side of God’s character (say his love) at the expense of another (say his holiness)? How does it help us to admire God’s grace more if, at the same time, we consider his justice and uncompromising purity?

For this is what the high and lofty One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite. (Is 57:15)

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