Face Down

I am sure you have hear people say "When I get to heaven I am going to ask God about..." or when I get to heaven I am going to find out why God allowed..." Many times it seems as though they are somewhat arrogant in their statement. At times it seems as if they think God owes them an explanation of why He allowed something to happen, that God has to explain Himself to them. I bring this up because as I read scripture I see quite the opposite. When men came into the presence of God they did not ask anything.

Exodus 34: 5-8 -  5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation." 8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.

Moses did not ask God to explain his actions. He did not question God about anything, he fell on his face and worshiped.

Ezekiel 1: 25 - 28 -  25 Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. 26 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezekiel did not ask God anything when he saw his glory. He fell face down.

Revelation 1: 12-17 -  12I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

John saw Christ in his heavenly glory and fell face down as if he were dead.

Acts 9:1-4  -  1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

Paul falls down when he sees the light from heaven.

There are several other examples of men falling on their faces when they encountered God as well as Christ. Peter, James and John fell on their faces when they heard the voice of God during Christ's transfiguration in Matthew 17. 

I think that at times we tend to forget just who it is we worship. As I write this I realize that I cannot fully explain who God is in all of His glory and holiness. My finite mind cannot come up with the words to adequately describe who God is. I think it is interesting that when Christ taught his disciples how to pray he started out with 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,... Christ started the prayer by reminding us just who it is we are praying to. We are praying to the God of heaven who's name alone is like no other name. It is hallowed, set apart, unlike any other name. 

As you approach the throne of grace this week let me challenge you (and me) to spend some time remembering who it is we are praying to. Before we rattle off our request, before we place our needs at his feet, take some time to reflect on who we worship. The God of the universe loves us with a perfect love, the God of all creation has provided a way for sinners like us to have a right relationship with him. Spend some time this week face down before the Lord. These men's lives were radically changed when they got back on their feet and I believe the same can happen to us.