Ever since sin brought shame into the world, we have had a tendency to hide from God. Right after sinning, Adam and Eve hid from the presence of God behind fig leaf underwear and trees.
Israel did the same thing when God appeared to them in power on the mountain. The first thing we read after the account of his words to them is that "the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off." They told Moses they would hear from him, but they asked that God not speak to them, lest they die. They stood far off while Moses drew near to the thick darkness.
The same thing happened with Jesus. Do you remember Peter's response when Jesus showed his power by miraculously causing him to catch so many fish that two boats could hardly hold them? Peter fell down at Jesus' feet and asked him to get away from him because he (Peter) was a sinful man.
There is something fitting about these responses. Through Jeremiah God says "'I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me?' declares the Lord" (30:21). If we understand the situation rightly, we don't dare approach God of ourselves. And yet God is not content to let us run and hide. Even though Adam and Eve hid, God drew near to them and clothed them. Even though Israel didn't want to draw near, God was making arrangements to live in their midst. And even though Peter asked Jesus to go away after seeing his power, that isn't the end of the story. Jesus repeated the same miracle with Peter after his resurrection, and this time instead of asking Jesus to go away, Peter dove into the water, swimming to get to him as fast as he could!
Because of Jesus' death and resurrection we don't need to hide anymore.
We are invited to draw near to God, being told by James that as we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. Jesus was regularly inviting people to come to him and find rest. Hebrews spells it out; "therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith..." (10:19-22a).
This drawing near to God is an inestimable privilege given to us through Jesus. There is a new and living way opened. Stop and consider that phrase for a minute.
And yet we hide.
We want to send someone else to God for us like Israel sent Moses, forgetting that the only one who needs to be sent for us has already gone to appear before God, and we can go freely in him.
We hide from God behind all sorts of things. We hide from him behind overly formal prayers in order to avoid bearing our hearts fully to him. We hide behind busyness, claiming that we just don't have time to draw near to God. We hide behind Christian leaders, whom we send into his presence for us. We hide behind commentaries and theologians so that we don't have to encounter God directly in his word. We hide behind religious activity, so that we can work in his name without doing the one thing that is needed: sitting at his feet. We hide behind our guilt, thinking that it is too great to allow us to approach him. We try to hide everywhere, but we don't need to hide anymore.
The way is open. Our sin is dealt with. Our shame is over. We are called and invited to draw near to God himself. Stop hiding, take courage and dare to draw near to the Holy One of Israel, the Ancient of Days. What we find is love incomprehensible and life everlasting.
"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.' And let the one who hears say, 'Come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price." (Rev. 22:17)
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