One of my pet peeves is praise music that is bad theology or just theologically empty. I love praise music when it tells the truth about God. When people get into the Presence of God, it changes them! Today, let’s listen an Old Testament encounter with God, and then one from the New Testament:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on his throne, high and exalted, and his robe filled the whole Temple. Around him flaming creatures were standing, each of which had six wings…They were calling out to each other: “Holy, holy, holy! The Lord Almighty is holy! His glory fills the world.” The sound of their voices made the foundation of the Temple shake…I said, “There is no hope for me! I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful.” (Isa 6:1-5)

I turned around to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands, and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold band around his chest. His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire; his feet shone like brass that has been refined and polished, and his voice sounded like a roaring waterfall. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth. His face was as bright as the midday sun. When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. (Rev. 1:12-17)

In today’s first passage, the reluctant young prophet Isaiah described being in God’s presence, including, flying creatures, fire, and earthquakes. Then he declares: “There is no hope for me! I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful…” Isaiah is not only overcome by His encounter with God, he’s also overwhelmed by his own sinfulness. In the Revelation passage we heard about John’s encounter with Jesus, with whom he had eaten meals and travelled so many dusty roads. John said: “His hair was white as wool, or as snow, and his eyes blazed like fire…and a sharp two-edged sword came out of his mouth.” And John’s reaction to seeing Jesus: “When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man.” Wow…who could blame him? What would you do? I know this—John didn't write a song about how he and Jesus were a couple of pals. Like Isaiah the prophet, he was overwhelmed by the transcendent power of being in the Presence of God.

Today, let me challenge you to see God in a bigger and more awe-inspiring way—He is our Savior, Redeemer and Friend, but He’s also the Creator and Ruler of the universe, the Judge of the Cosmos, the eternal, powerful, dangerous Almighty God. Worship Him today…in all of His glory that you can comprehend!