We are a rebellious people

We understand that we cannot have friendship and relationship without vulnerability. But we are all stubborn and tend to put up walls to protect ourselves, not letting others come near. And with these walls we not only keep others away, but the LORD as well.

The LORD’s presence was amongst the Israelites as they encamped and wandered through the wilderness, and yet in their pride they did not understand their need for him, that he was more than the bread they ate or the water they drank, and so that generation could not enter his rest.

As with the Israelites pride keeps us from the LORD though he is not far off. The very thing we do to protect ourselves limits our ability to feel loved, because we are rejecting the very thing that would bring healing and restoration – the exposing our sin and the downfall of our pride. In our pride, we want to present ourselves to the world as something, concerned with the opinions of men. We become trapped in our own pride, trapped in the walls of our own making, instead of trusting and coming to the God who is near, because we are afraid of being exposed and naked. It was the pride of the religious leaders that kept them from seeing Jesus, though he was near and walking in their midst. Pride makes us blind guides, keeping us from seeing the truth. Instead of embracing love, we grumble, and hide from or attack those who would expose our nakedness.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:19–2, ESV)

We are “like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. [And so,] Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD” (Psalm 32:9,10 ESV, brackets added text). In our madness, to protect ourselves, we chose the darkness and the sorrows of the wicked, rather than the light of the LORD, that exposes and heals our sin.

When the Israelites are standing at the border and are on the precipice of entering the Promised Land, the LORD is clear it is not because of their righteousness that they are able to enter the land. They are still a rebellious people. “Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land, . . . Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going to be able to possess their land, but . . .that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob’” (Deuteronomy 9:4). There is no place for boasting are pride as we enter the Kingdom of God. No reason to hide that we are rebellious, sinful, and unworthy. God rescues us and drives out our pride because he swore an oath to Jesus. “Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.” When we seek our own worth, or seek to be seen well by others, we are in rebellion against the Gospel. We miss the point of the Gospel. We are foolish, stubborn, blind, rebellious, mad and we must die to ourselves, we must die to our own efforts. The LORD, alone has conquered the promised land. Instead of pride, we are called to allow others to speak the Gospel into our lives, to expose our sin, and to break down our walls of pride. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16a, ESV). It is as our sin is exposed that we find healing, not in building walls. And as we cease striving, the wonder that we are more than conquerors as we walk in the light shall be evident, not because of anything we have done, for we are a rebellious and foolish people, but because God through Jesus has sworn to give us the land. It is in vulnerability and nakedness that we can experience friendship, intimacy, and love and are clothed in Christ. God is near, not far away. Let us not shrink back in pride, but instead come to him and be held in his embrace.

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:11–16, ESV)

and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. (James 2:23, ESV)