“No one today thinks of drawing near to God as being traumatic and lethal. Yet when Moses asked to draw near and see God’s glory, God refused because, he said, it would kill Moses (Ex 33:18–23). God allowed Moses only to see his ‘back’ or ‘outskirts’ and said he would cover Moses with his hand so that he would be protected from God’s holiness and wouldn’t die. Moses is protected from God by God. That’s the gospel. But in John 1:18, we learn that in Jesus Christ we behold God’s glory. How is that possible? Because in Christ our sins are covered. We are hidden in the hollow of God’s hand, as it were, in Jesus (Col 3:1–3). This doesn’t mean we can ever take lightly the privilege of approaching ‘the throne,’ however. It is an astonishing right to do so—won at unimaginable cost. This is what we are doing when we pray in Jesus’ name, and we need to remind ourselves of what is happening every time we pray. We should take time and meditate on this truth until it thrills us.”
We have been working with a leader and his team for two years. When we first encountered him, he was somewhat overwhelmed; frustrated, and a little unsure about leading his company given the changing landscape of his industry and the complexity of his business. At a recent offsite, we heard him share that he is “having the time of his life” and that leading his company “is more fun than he ever thought possible.”
He and his team have worked hard, but their path is now clear. There is great momentum. They know where they are going and are very clear about the model, steps, and people it will take to realize their newly imagined future. Roles have been clarified and rules of engagement are changing. They have a well articulated organizational strategy and know they can reach that larger, more successful, and more life changing future.
His good heart, grandest intentions, and solidified leadership voice are intending a new tomorrow for an entire company and all who work there. The ultimate metric for the company he leads will be changed lives. There will be much to celebrate.
He was recently enjoying a well-deserved vacation. We were both remarking via e-mail about a humbling privilege it is to be playing our unique roles in the larger story. I shared with him a quote from Oswald Chambers in last week’s post and he sent me the excellent quote from Keller above. We really are operating out of an “astonishing right.”
At the end of the day, it is the great privilege of operating at His discretion within an unfathomable personal relationship with Him, that all of this is possible. It is not merely some coaching and all the incredibly hard work of a great team, but the guidance of His hand. We get to approach the throne of the Creator of the universe and seek his counsel, direction, and blessing.
This leader lives in that reality. He leads out of that relationship. His burden is much easier and his yoke much lighter because of it… and the lives of many are being changed.
- Are you overwhelmed?
- Do you have a clear picture of the future and well articulated plan to get you there?
- Are you experiencing the easier burden and lighter yoke out of this “astonishing right” to partner with the Father in your leadership?