I was jolted awake by an earthquake one night last week; initially, when I woke up, I saw our cat standing at the foot of my bed and I thought it was her jumping up that caused the bed to shake.  Although she is a substantial cat, I quickly realized that she couldn’t cause the low rumble I heard emanating from deep within the earth, or the sound of rattling glassware and dishes coming from the other room.

On later reflection, I was intrigued by the thoughts that darted through the slumbering consciousness of my mind—not completely awake, but not asleep either.  I looked towards the window, hoping to see a great light, hoping to see that the heavens were opening and the Lord descending.  But not this time, not this earthquake—I was disappointed.

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens!  That You would come down!  That the mountains might shake at Your presence—” (Isaiah 64:1).

“And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:25-28).

The other sensation I experienced was fear. 

Wait a minute!  Fear? 

Why should I fear?  I recounted why I had no cause to fear…

I have confessed Jesus before men, He will confess me before His Father (Matthew 10:32).

I am justified by faith (Romans 5:1); and I am justified by His blood, saved from wrath through Him (Romans 5:9).

“For [I] died, and [my] life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is [my] life appears, then [I] also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:3).

God invites me to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that [I] may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Yet something in the earth’s movement awakened me with a sense of power that was far beyond my ability to understand or control.  I was gripped with awe for the One who holds the not only the earth but the universe in His hands, who directs the winds and is in control of our planet’s shudders—and who holds my life in His hands.

I recalled some of the apostle John’s phrases as he described the throne room of heaven: “…behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne…and He who sat there was like jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne…And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices.  …around the throne were four living creatures…and they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’  Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him…. saying, ‘You are worthy, O Lord, to receive honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created’” (Revelation 4:2-11).

I believe that fear is a valid response when we consider approaching the throne room of our sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing God!  Because of our advocate, Jesus, who lives to make intercession on our behalf, I know I have an eternal home with Him. …and yet, our God is not only a king; He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords!  This was Isaiah’s response to a vision of God on His throne: “…I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple…. So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone!  Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:1, 5).

Isaiah survived being in God’s presence by having his iniquity taken away, his sin purged.  The same holds true for us—those who rely on the righteousness of Jesus will be transformed before we enter the presence of God: “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I tell you a mystery:  We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:50-52).

There is something about twilight consciousness, that place between waking and sleeping, surrounded by darkness, and visual is input limited, that heightens my sensitivity to spiritual things.  I recognize that a spirit of fear has no place in my life and I “did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but [I did receive] the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15); I also acknowledge that The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

The writer of Hebrews counsels us on the approachability and the awesomeness of our God: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.  For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28, 29).

I confess that it is often easy to forget who I am serving—my words, my attitudes, the judgments I make, or how I spend my time are not characterized by “reverence and godly fear”.  Or for some of us, it could be in how we treat people—fallen, broken, sin-twisted humanity –however, created in God’s image and loved by Him.  …or we could be defiling—making common—God’s Word by adding our own twists and interpretations to suit ourselves or to fit into the cultures of this world.

I look forward to Jesus’ soon return.  I just do not want my recognition of His majesty, the Father’s authority, or the Holy Spirit’s power to diminish in any way.