The Weight of the Sacred

 

Meeting God with Reverent Fear

Scripture Reading: Exodus 20:18–26

Moses said to the people,

 'Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, 

so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.'

Exodus 20:20

Three days before the Nativity, the journey of Mary and Joseph reached its most grueling stage. As they began the steep, winding ascent into the hill country of Judea, the physical weight of the child was matched only by the spiritual weight of their mission. In these final miles, the silence of the wilderness became a sanctuary. While Israel at Mount Sinai trembled before the thunder and lightning of a God who seemed distant and terrifying, Mary carried that very same Holy Fire within her own body. The "reverent fear" of the Exodus was no longer just a mountain to be feared from afar; it was a heartbeat thumping against her own, a sacred presence that demanded her total, trembling attention.

We often mistake "fear of the Lord" for a desire to hide, yet the experience of the Holy Family teaches us that true reverence is the foundation of intimacy. In Exodus, the people stood at a distance because they could not endure the purity of God’s holiness, but Christmas represents the moment that Holiness chose to draw near. This doesn’t mean God has become less holy or "casual"; rather, it means His holiness has become our medicine. As Joseph guided the donkey through the rocky passes, his reverence wasn't found in ritual, but in the careful, trembling stewardship of the Treasure entrusted to him. He lived in the tension of knowing that the One he protected was the very One who created the stars.

As we approach the final days of Advent, we must ask ourselves if we have allowed the "meek and mild" imagery of the manger to erase the awe-inspiring holiness of the King. Christmas grace does not cancel out the majesty of Sinai; it fulfills it by making the unapproachable God approachable. If our worship has become casual or our prayers routine, we are invited to stand again at the foot of the mountain—and the edge of the manger—with holy attentiveness. May we shed our need for control and rediscover a God who is both a consuming fire and a vulnerable infant, preparing our hearts to receive a grace that is as awesomely beautiful as it is kind.

Prayer for the Journey 

Heavenly Father, Forgive us for the times we have treated Your presence as common or Your grace as cheap. As we walk these final miles toward Bethlehem, restore in us a spirit of wonder and a heart of reverent fear. Let the weight of Your glory settle over our lives today. Amen.