Day 319 

Ezekiel 31:1-32:32; Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 113:1-114:8; Proverbs 7:18-20

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

“Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
    at the presence of the God of Jacob.” – Psalm 114:7

This quote from Psalm 114 is an amazing summary of the themes we follow in the passages from Ezekiel and Hebrews. In Ezekiel, in the allegory of the cedar, Egypt is compared to the splendor of a great cedar of Lebanon—seeing itself as incomparable, thus rivaling God. But God will cut it down. In Ch. 32 verses 7 & 8, recall the day of the Lord in which God will overcome all that opposes Him.

Our reading from Hebrews is filled with warnings for those who “…(fail) to obtain the grace of God.” The two covenants are contrasted, recalling the terrifying presence of God at Mount Sinai. Our eternal destination, however, is Mount Zion—the heavenly Jerusalem with all its mighty splendor, with legions of angels, the spirits of the righteous dead, and God, the judge of all with Jesus, the “mediator of a new covenant” through His blood.

The powerful warning paragraphs that follow demand our prayerful attention:

“See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! …for indeed our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:25, 29

Dear Father, grant us the grace to humble ourselves before your holy presence.  Amen.

The Rev. Janice Miller
St Peter’s Church
Lake Mary, FL