Falling into the Hands of God

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31

"So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him." Luke 15:20

There is a tension throughout the scripture of fear/ reverence/ awe mingled with joy/ love/ wonder. In Leviticus 9, when the people saw the glory of God and a fire from the Lord, they both shouted with joy and fell on their face. This tension is also seen in the lion/ lamb...

The same tension shows up in the prophets with simultaneous pronouncement of salvation and judgment. I suppose which side we see depends upon our perspective and the season we find ourselves in.

We shouldn't try to hide on or the other, but learn that both must be filtered through the amazing truth that God is love.

To fall into the hands of the living God is both a fearful thing, like in Hebrews, and a cause for celebration, like in Luke 15 when the father threw his arms around his child.

The Hebrews writer teaches that the Lord disciplines those who God loves (Hebrews 12:5-13).