Ants Before Everest

"Even at our best we are ants at the foot of Mt. Everest pantomiming how big our God is. We are tiny specks on a roller coaster swinging through the galaxies, surrounded by millions of stars. We are children with tongues stuck in our cheeks scrawling with crayons. We are so small." -- Toby Sumpter, from his blog Glory Dust

It doesn't take long to figure out that this world isn't about me. I don't want to accept the fact, but my wanting doesn't make it any less true. Every bone in my body shouts "me, me, me." I want the glory. I want to be made much of. It's this pride that is the root of all sins, and root cause of all sins (Proverbs 8:13, Proverbs 16:18, Ezekiel 7:10, 1 John 2:16). We all secretly want to be God. But, this is foolishness because we know we aren't. In fact, we aren't even close. Step outside as the day gives way to night, and stare upon a sunset. Stand at the shoreline and feel the power of the ocean crashing against the sand. Look up and out at the stars that cancel out the night sky and begin to see who you really are. In those moments, I'm not so impressive. In those moments, God reminds me of how finite and small I am. I am thankful for these moments, because only at the end of me, will worship begin.

We are Small

"A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever." (Eccl. 1:4)

One of the most clear and harsh pictures of the stark reality of our utter smallness is in the book of Job. Job goes through unbelievable suffering and in the midst of heartache, he gives into temptation and begins to complain against God. Not only does God respond, but he takes several chapters to bring Job to a better understanding of who he really is: not God (Job 38-41). What is Job's response?

"Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.";
"I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." (Job 40:4; 42:3) 

God is not like us

When the Bible portrays men coming face to face with the living God, the reaction isn't one we would expect or ever hear preached in our friendly God culture. We see from the life of Job, that coming face to face with God is something that is terrifying. Isaiah helps illustrate why being in the presence of God can be so terrifying: 

"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!' And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:1-5)

When Isaiah sees God face to face, he doesn't break into song or start giving hugs. He realizes how small he is, not just in size, but in nature. Isaiah sees God's perfection and begins to understand his sinfulness. God is not just bigger than us, he's in another ball park. The minute we begin to think that we are the same as God, is the minute we leave reality and stop living by truth.

Brought Near

We are small. God is not. If we think about these simple and basic truths it poses a significant problem. We can't get to God or have a relationship with Him because we are too small, too sinful, and too worldly (Psalm 14:2-3, Psalm 58:3, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23). This is what makes the Gospel so amazing. God sees our smallness and our unworthiness and he sends the Son:

"Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the coventants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 1:12-13)

It's good for us to remember that we are nothing more than ants before Everest. But also remember, that God is bringing us to the top of the mountain, not because of our greatness, work effort, or own doing, but because Jesus carried our sinfulness up another mountain at Calvary and crucified it on the Cross. Hallelujah. What a Savior.