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Perception

Ezekiel 1:26-28 (NLT)
26"Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. 27From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. 28All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day. This is what the glory of the LORD looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me."


perception       (Oxford Dictionaries)
NOUN
mass noun
1The ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.

1.1 Awareness of something through the senses.
‘the perception of pain’

1.2Psychology Zoology The neurophysiological processes, including memory, by which an organism becomes aware of and interprets external stimuli.

2The way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.

2.1 Intuitive understanding and insight.


Perception... How I perceive you with my eyes, my ears or with any of the senses I've been given, will lend to my personal understanding of who you are. It may well come to govern how I recognize you when I meet you in the future and how I relate to you. It may help determine my responses to you. My perception of you defines who you are to me and your perception of me may well perform the same for you. Perceptions can be powerful. They can also be inaccurate at times and have unintended consequences. So true and accurate perceptions of people, places and things are important...

Our perceptions of people and things in the world around us help to determine our responses to them as we encounter them in life. But above all things, there's no more critical perception for us to get right than our perception of a sovereign, Holy God. That perception should absolutely determine and even dictate all other perceptions and our responses to everything else we encounter in our lives - because that perception could well mean the difference between life and death for eternity...

As Christians, we've been taught that God is our loving Father. And that is absolutely true... 

1 John 4:16-19 (NLT)
16 "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us." 

...But if we focus only on just the loving portion of His true character and do not respect Him for all that He is, we've missed the fullness of who He is - our perception of Him then is incomplete and our response to Him is likely, fearfully lacking ...

Isaiah 6:1-5 (NLT)
1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies!

The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”

Ours is a mighty God that no one can resist if He chooses to raise His hand against them. He alone is the God, who by the power of His own inspiration and will, chose to create us. And He's the all powerful God who now gives us the opportunity to perceive Him as He is and the choice to obey Him in this moment of life... or by our own choice, to dare to make ourselves His enemy.

Deuteronomy 32:39-43 (NLT)
39 "Look now; I myself am he! There is no other god but me! I am the one who kills and gives life; I am the one who wounds and heals; no one can be rescued from my powerful hand! 40 Now I raise my hand to heaven and declare, “As surely as I live, 41 when I sharpen my flashing sword and begin to carry out justice, I will take revenge on my enemies and repay those who reject me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh— the blood of the slaughtered and the captives, and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’

43“Rejoice with him, you heavens, and let all of God’s angels worship him. Rejoice with his people, you nations, and let all the angels be strengthened in him. For he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take revenge against his enemies. He will repay those who hate him and cleanse the land for his people.”

I say this with loving intention, knowing that I myself am guilty: I believe that for most of us, if our perception of our Holy God were accurate - our lives would absolutely be radically different...

This very God who now watches us, sees what we watch on TV and at the movies. He hears what we say and what we choose to listen to. He sees how we act and respond to other people. And He knows our true hearts, our intentions and our thoughts...

Our perception of Him as the loving God that He truly is, is not complete if it doesn't also include the majesty and terrifyingly powerful fullness of all that He is... and our worship of Him will reflect that defect. A true perception of Him should be awe inspiring at every moment that we draw breath. It should inspire both complete adoration and fearful respect simultaneously. Our perception of Him, if true and complete should have an impact on every moment of our lives...

But then also... as we breathe... what is His all knowing, absolutely true perception of us?

Precious and wonderful creature, created with loving intention by the very hand of this loving and powerful God, you have great purpose and promise granted to you by the only power that truly rules over everything that exists. You were chosen by intention to live this life as His own unique child because He's placed an amazing value on knowing you and on relating to you. You're amazingly special to Him. In return, He asks that you endeavor to know Him as He truly is - every part as He allows it... And to be powerfully changed by the amazing wonder of what you find in your perception of, and in relationship with - Him.

A true perception of Him will lead you here, saying...
"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you." Psalm 143:8 (NLT) 

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