TOGETHER IN HIS PRESENCE: REALLY

Dear Friends,

In 2013, I attended an important international conference in Nairobi, Kenya. I was merely one of the 1,358 delegates. I felt humbled and honoured to be there, and I was quite content to sit at the back, taking everything in. About halfway through the conference, just before we broke for lunch, a person got up to make a couple of announcements. One of the announcements was, “As soon as these announcements are over, could George Sinclair from Canada please come up to the front, the organizer of the conference would like to talk to him.” I was shocked. In fact, using an old Irish expression, I was gob-smacked. After the announcements I made my way to the front, against the flow of people leaving the meeting place, and made my way to the edge of the stage, where the organizer of the conference came down from the stage, shook my hand, and took me off to the side for a private conversation.

I tell this story because something far more awesome happens to ordinary people like you and me every Sunday. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, three persons, one God; calls you into His presence. You need to walk against the flow of Canada to come to Him. This is far too easy to forget, and far too important to forget.

This is the last of a series of blogs entitled “Together in His Presence”. Most local churches in Canada are living through a long season where they have at least two congregations - one (or more) that meet “live” and one which meets “on-line”. It is a good time to think and pray about what it means to be “together in His presence”. Our guide has been a very old (written in 1549) Call to Worship that comes out of the English Reformation. Here it is once again …

“Dearly beloved brothers and sisters, the Scripture moves us in sundry places to acknowledge and confess our manifold sins and wickedness; and that we should not dissemble nor cloak them before the face of almighty God our heavenly Father; but confess them with a humble, lowly, penitent and obedient heart; to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by His infinite goodness and mercy. And although we ought at all times humbly to acknowledge our sins before God; yet ought we most chiefly so to do, when we assemble and meet together to render thanks for the great benefits that we have received at His hands, to set forth His most worthy praise, to hear His most holy word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as the soul. Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying after me …”

The Call is brief, concise, and apt. Note how close to the beginning it reminds you of how you are to live, you live “... before the face of almighty God our Heavenly Father.” This is graphic and concrete in a good way. You are not just “in His presence”, you are before His face, up close and personal. Then, after reminding you of your need to confess sin, express gratitude, be humble, praise Him, listen to Him, the Call powerfully concludes, “Wherefore I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me with a pure heart, and humble voice, unto the throne of the heavenly grace, saying …”

Many church services no longer begin with a call to worship. This old call to worship is very helpful in what it teaches and models. In a very real sense what happens on a Sunday morning (or should happen), whether live or online, is far more shocking, humbling, and exciting than what happened to me in 2013. I merely got called to the edge of a stage to meet the organizer of an international conference. In biblical worship, you and I are called by the Triune God Himself to meet with Him face-to-face, at His throne of grace.

Four simple points.

First, who God is governs true worship. This is the significance of the archaic word “wherefore”. It is a “purpose” word. It means something like “for this reason or purpose”. So if you re-read the call to worship, with its exhortation around repentance, humility, praising, listening, and asking, the call to worship then reminds you, that the purpose for all this or the reason for all of this, is because you and I are joining together to meet with the living God, the sovereign creator and sustainer of all things, and you are going to come before Him at His throne of heavenly grace. It is because of who God is that you cannot just “make up” worship or do what is humanly successful. There is a way to be in His presence which “fits”, even if that way does not include things Canadians enjoy and does include things Canadians do not enjoy. His face-to-face presence should “govern” worship in the local church.

Second, if you are not meeting with the Triune God, all the stuff that goes on at church, no matter how impressive, is an empty waste of time. “I pray and beseech you, as many as are here present, to accompany me … to the throne of the heavenly grace.” A church service is not “community time”. It is not merely to be with others. It is not a mere spectacle. It is God Himself who makes the time life-changing, not our techniques, or our numbers, or the people. The Lord said, “When two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)

Third, to meet with the living God should humble you and make you desire, “that all that is within me will bless His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). Note what the Call exhorts, “accompany me with a pure heart and a humble voice”. If all that is within you blesses His holy name, then your voice will be humble. To be humbled in a godly way is a work of His grace. With His leading you seek the godly posture (humble voice), trusting that He in His grace does the work (your heart becoming pure).

Fourth, ordinary people like you and me meet the true and living God at His throne of grace. He is enthroned because He is truly sovereign. All of Canada might deny that the Lord is sovereign. To approach His throne will mean moving against the flow of Canadians going away from Him. But He has never relinquished His sovereignty over all of creation, or of the city where you live. So you come to Him on His throne, being reminded that it is a throne of grace. He does not weigh your merits, He pardons your offences. You can only approach His throne because of grace: He first left His throne, setting aside His glory and majesty, and remaining God, took upon Himself human nature, and, continuing His “descent” down to your level, was tempted as you are but, unlike you, lived the sinless life you cannot live. He then died in your place, bearing the doom you deserve and offering you His destiny that you do not deserve. It is only by receiving Him and His sacrifice that you can approach His throne. Now, as His child, you are exhorted to come week by week with your brothers and sisters in Christ to the throne of His grace. Be together in His presence, really.

Please pray for all who gather to come into His presence, face-to-face, before His throne of grace. Some at 8am, some at 10am, some on-line, but one church, with one Lord and Saviour.

George+