Let God Arise

I like those good "My God is tough and can do whatever He wants" verses every once in a while.  Sometimes God is pictured as a really nice, old guy who would just sits on His hands all day, hoping that good stuff happens.  And passages like this one help de-bunk that kinds of picture:


"33 So they set out from the mount of the Lord three days' journey. And the ark of the covenant of theLord went before them three days' journey, to seek out a resting place for them. 34  And the cloud of the Lord was over them by day, whenever they set out from the camp.
35 And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, 'Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.'" (from Numbers 10)

In my morning reading today I read the above passage.  This portion is describing when the Israelites would move from one place to another during their wanderings.  God would be with them.  They didn't know where they would be going or what troubles or enemies would be waiting for them.  So Moses' prayer every time the ark went out was that God would arise, and His (and their) enemies scatter!  It's a great reminder that our God is powerful.  He's not weak, His power is not limited by anything or anyone.  And He was able to fight for the Israelites- just like He delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.

"The LORD is a warrior; the LORD is his name." (Exodus 15:3)

I sat and meditated on this idea of God arising and causing His enemies to scatter.  And I was reminded of another passage, where we also see God arising.

In John 13, As the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest among them, and as Judas is looking for his escape plan from the upper room, Jesus rises from the table and... washes the disciples' feet.  The highest King stooped down as the lowliest of servants and washed feet.

Now, in some churches, there are foot-washing ceremonies.  Those are great reminders, but a far more sanitized version of what Jesus did for those disciples.  Washing feet in those days was disgusting.  These days we get residue on streets from the exhaust of cars.  In those days they got the, umm, residue on their streets from the, uh, exhaust of their animals.  Feces mixed with dirt mixed with sweat, all over their feet.

Jesus took the role of the servant, arose from the table and washed those filthy feet.

What a servant our Jesus is!  What an awesome God!  What god is like our God?  Whom did Allah ever stoop to serve?  Did Buddha or any of the myriads of Hindu gods ever take the role of the servant for an undeserving people?  And yet, here He is- the King of kings and Lord of Lords, Faithful and True, the Alpha and Omega, the eternal Word arising to serve.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."- Philippians 2:5-11

"Meekness and majesty
Manhood and Deity
In perfect harmony
The Man who is God
Lord of eternity
Dwells in humanity
Kneels in humility
And washes our feet

O what a mystery
Meekness and majesty
Bow down and worship
For this is your God"
Meekness and Majesty, Graham Kendrick