"Who can stand?"

Hey, friends. Sorry I've been MIA the past couple weeks. I've been reading all along, but haven't quite gotten around to a post of my own in a while - but He's reminding me how much more I actually engage in the text when I formulate a post myself, as much as I might try to convince myself that I'm just as involved by reading alone.

First of all, the question that chapter six leaves hanging hit me like a ton of bricks:

"Who can stand?"

It leaves me with that same no-one-was-worthy-to-take-the-scroll feeling that John conveys in chapter 5. I'm stuck once again by our brokenness and insufficiency.

"Oh, my God, I am too ashamed and graced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. [...] But now, for a brief moment, YHWH our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. [...] O YHWH, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence." (Ezra 9:6, 8, 15)

No, we cannot stand, but before the seals are even opened, our God anticipates our failure and our need for redemption, and He seals us - marking us as His own. Just like no one could take the scroll out of His hand because it was sealed with His Name and character, no one can take us out of His hand either (John 10:28).

But then there's so much depth of meaning behind that seal as well. It's not just a name tag (even a "Name tag") or a free ticket, but it empowers us and enables us, as well as displaying our ownership to everyone we come into contact with.

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. [...] I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (Jeremiah 31:31, 33)