Good morning and the blessed Thursday morning to you.  The other day, as a part of chapel in association with our preschool here at the church, I received an interesting question from one of the preschoolers. He said, "Why can't we see God?"

Why can't we see God? That's a really good question, isn't it? Well, I answered it with an answer appropriate for a preschooler. But I wanted to delve into that topic a little bit with you today. Why can't we see God?

Look with me, please at Exodus, the 33rd chapter. We'll start in verse 18. "Moses said, show me your glory, I pray". And God said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you the name the Lord. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But he said, you cannot see my face, for no one shall see me and live." 

Sinfulness cannot be in the presence of God. God is invisible because if we saw him, we wouldn't live. Jesus says in Matthew the fifth chapter, blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. That tense there, it communicates a continuous future reality.

When we enter into the glory of heaven, it will be a continuous reality of seeing God, of being in the very presence of God. Purity then is associated with sight. We need then a purity from without. And that's exactly what Jesus Christ accomplished for us at the cross where he bore all of our sin. And the wrath for sin fell upon Jesus instead of us.

Jesus shed his blood. He paid the penalty for our sin. All of the sin, thought, word and deed. What we've done, what we've left undone, the very condition that we are in with regard to our sin. Jesus paid for it on the cross and his perfect life was credited to our account.

The reality as we live then this side of heaven, we are both saint and sinner. We're made saint in the waters of baptism. We are washed in the victory of Christ. But we are also a sinner. That sin part of us goes away at the point of death when the remains of the old Adam and Eve are purified and we enter in to glory.

So why can't we see God? Well, that has to be for now, but not always.

Gracious heavenly Father, we thank you for this time in your Word. Your Word is truth. We thank you, O Lord, for the great gospel message that you give us to proclaim what has been accomplished. To the cross and the empty tomb of our Lord. We thank you Lord that the day will come when we will see you face to face. In Jesus name. Amen. 

God bless you today. Encourage someone.

Pastor Eibel