Without Fear

I mentioned in my last post that my friend Ileana and I headed down to the lake on Sunday to check out the winter scenery. It was freezing! Literally... temperatures well below 32 degrees. It was crazy, but with the right equipment... boots, coats, hats, gloves, scarves, we went without fear into the cold. Of course, we didn't stay too long. Our equipment was only good up to a point. And then toes and cheeks and fingers started to go numb and we quickly hurried back to the car for warmth.

In order to head out into the cold without fear, we must put on layers. We must bundle up and hide ourselves under heavy parkas and thick boots. We do all that we can to ensure that our skin does not come into contact with the cold, to ensure that we won't be hurt by the dangerous temperatures.

Our life with God is actually just the opposite. In order to draw near to God, into the holiness of God... not freezing, but often pictured as a consuming fire... we don't need to put on protective gear. We don't need the right equipment. We don't need fire proof suits and flame retardant gloves. Instead, we need to take off the layers of self-protection and sin, the layers of guilt and insecurity. We need to lay ourselves bare before God.

Zechariah, in Luke 1:77, describes it as gaining the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins. In pealing away the layers of sin and guilt, we open ourselves up to receive the salvation offered by Christ. We allow Christ to be a light in the darkness and to guide us into the way of peace.

The purpose of this forgiveness, of this salvation? That we may serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness (Luke 1:74-75). During this Advent season, may we be overwhelmed by the holiness of our God. May we quake just a little in fear. For God has come among us. We are in danger of being consumed. But thanks be to God for the offer of forgiveness that allows us to approach the holy throne.