Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? – Psalm 24:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 16, 2013): Psalm 24

We walk a tightrope in contemporary culture in regard to our self-esteem and ego. On the one hand I think that we need to be consistently reminded of who we are. We are the created ones of God, the adopted sons and daughters of the King and co-heirs with Christ. Jesus himself taught us that God was not just Father – he was Abba – Daddy. And in that name of God we find a strong emotional connection.

But there is also a danger in that kind of a connection with God. Sometimes I wonder if the God who is 

Abba loses some of his essential otherness. I wonder if we forget that while we are the sons and daughters, we are also the ones that have continually in the past thrown away that relationship. While it is true that we are co-heirs with Christ, by our own actions we are also the spoiled children of the King.

Specifically, I wonder if we would really even ask the question that the Psalmist asks? Or, if maybe in our role as spoiled children we would simply expect to ascend the hill. One of the T.V. shows that I currently enjoy watching is the show “Blue Bloods” about a family all of whom are involved in law enforcement. A recent episode dealt partially with a father who wanted to protect his spoiled daughter, but who eventually came to the realization that the best thing he could do for his spoiled child was to let her face the consequences of her actions.

Who can ascend the hill of the Lord? My truth is that I know that I am disqualified. All that I am is a spoiled son of the living God who is still struggling to come to terms with everything my heavenly Dad requires of me. That does not mean that the Father does not love me – I know that he does. But my reality is that the only way I can ascend the hill of the Lord is because Jesus takes me there – that is the consequence of my sin and the knowledge that Jesus is the only one that, because of the strength of his character, has the right to ascend that hill.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 25