Close encounters What would you do if you had a close encounter with God today? We pray regularly “Thy kingdom come.” But what if the King did show up? "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Isaiah 6:5 As we look at the scriptures, we see that when God does show up, most people are terrified. Even a vision of God is enough to send a prophet like Isaiah to their knees. Oh, but it would be different if it Jesus showed up, we think. You might want to check with Simon Peter about that. When Jesus shows up with a miraculous catch of fish, Simon’s response is to tell our Lord to get away from him. Like Simon, we too might find ourselves genuinely afraid, recognizing our own sinfulness and unworthiness to be in God's holy presence. We ought not to presume when it comes to God’s holiness. There is a beautiful irony in our seeking God and his call on our lives: God is always calling… and some like Isaiah, encountering the call will respond: “Here I am, send me.” Others might hear our Lord saying "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." Luke 5:10 Close encounters with the Almighty ought to leave us trembling, if only for the shear awe of his majesty and grace. And in our trembling, perhaps we can hear our Lord’s gracious call to join in His work in this world. Blessings,
Matthew+ Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP p. 216) | 
