See the Glory

I was listening to a praise and worship song last night and it got me thinking.  The song talked about how in the presence of God the mountains melt and the earth trembles. "Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on everyside.  The earth sees and trembles.  The mountains melt like wax. All people will see His glory."  While the speaker says these things to a background of music, the crowd begins to cheer and shout and goes wild.

Pretty typical and uplifting stuff.  If I had been there with the music swelling and the man calling out that stuff, I might have gotten caught up in the cheering too.  But then it struck me.  That's the reaction to some powerful words in a nice concert with musical backing.  What would be actually like to stand in the actual presence of Almighty God while the earth trembled, mountains melted and foes were consumed?  Would I or you be standing there cheering and clapping?

Consider those who have had a taste, just a taste mind you, of God's true presence and glory.

Judges 13:22 NAS So Manoah said to his wife, "We will surely die, for we have seen God."

Isaiah 6:5 KJV Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. "And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm. (Revelation 11:15-19 NAS)

My point is that I think we sometimes tame God a bit and forget what a fearsome thing it will be.  Yes, we will live in His presence forever and praise Him, but I think that first look, if it comes at His return with His shaking of the earth, is going to instill in us more than applause and cheering.  I think we will be shaken to our core and overcome by His greatness.  When it comes to worship songs, I think "I Can Only Imagine" captures the thought well.  "Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?  Will I dance for you, Jesus?  Or in awe of you be still?  Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall?  Will I sing Hallelujah?  Will I be able to speak at all?

Perhaps we will cheer on that day.  We can't imagine what it will be like to stand before the true and the living God.  My guess is awe and wonder and falling on our faces.