Devotion #6: Intimacy with God

Kendall Hine

Can you imagine needing to make an animal sacrifice every single time you sinned? I would need some nice supportive footwear and a big wallet because I would be getting in line to see the priest a lot! Before Jesus came and became the perfect sacrifice for us, that is exactly what Levitical Law required. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” 

When I was new to my faith, I did not really get the whole animal sacrifice thing. I mean, pardon my pun, but is it not a little overkill? The more I learned about the character of God, the more it made sense. God is infinitely more holy than man. This holiness is mighty and dangerous because sin cannot enter into the presence of that measure of perfection. When the prophet Isaiah entered into the Lord’s presence, he fell to his knees in acknowledgment of his uncleanness before the spotless presence of the Lord. When Moses came down from the presence of the Lord on Mount Sinai, his face shone so brightly that he had to wear a veil. So, if these interactions with God throughout the Old Testament are described with fear and trembling, why do our interactions with God look so different?

It is not that God is any less perfect than He was a few thousand years ago, but we have the opportunity to know God closely and intimately through the death of Jesus on the cross. When Jesus took our sin upon Himself and became the ultimate sacrifice for our sake, something remarkable happened. Matthew 27:51 says, “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.” Jesus tore the veil that separates our sin from the presence of the Lord, and we were granted unparalleled access to the presence of God. How cool is that!

So, I will ask you today, do you know God intimately? I am not asking if you can recite the verses you learned in AWANA or if you exclusively listen to Christian radio. There is a big difference between knowing a lot about God and being able to say that He is your source of refuge and strength. If you are not at a place where you can confidently say that Jesus is your closest friend, I encourage you to spend time in His presence.