Sitting Down With God

Tuesday, March 27, 2018
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Exodus 24:9-11: Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and the saw the God of Israel. There were under His feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And He did not lay His hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

"I can only imagine." I have to borrow the lead line of the song because it fits this text. I can only imagine in my mind sitting down at the table with God Himself. I know that it will happen one day, after my passing and being with Him forever. But for now, I can only imagine it. Or can I?

Here is the real cool thing about God. I "sit at the table" with God every week. When we gather to worship, we gather "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." We not only invoke, or call upon, the name of God, we are also in His presence. Jesus Himself said, "Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them." So, we are in the room with the Almighty. Wow.

But wait, there's more. Every time we come together and participate in the Lord's Supper, not only do we celebrate the feast until He comes back. In the words of Jesus Himself, "Take and eat, this is my body given for you." as He passed the bread in the final supper with His disciples. "Take and drink, this is my blood in the new testament for the forgiveness of sins." as He passed the cup of wine. Every time we celebrate the Lord's Supper we receive the body and blood of Jesus that is truly present in the bread and the wine so that our sins are forgiven. 

Here's the point. We do not have to imagine being in the presence of God. We already are, especially when we gather together as the Church. And one day, we will, after our passing or Jesus returns whichever one comes first, we will be at the dinner table of God in heaven forever. Both are really cool. Dear God, thank You for being with us as the center of our celebrations, amen.