The Presentation

I remember in college working hard until way into the night for a presentation the next day. I would rehearse it over and over, double-checking every fact. I would stand in front of a mirror, practicing so I could pick up any distractions in my actions and appearance. Public speaking was nothing new; I had won many awards in high school for it. Yet, this was different because I was paying a university to attend; therefore, I was paying for a grade, and I must get it right.  The presentation was crucial to my grade.

In Colossians 1:22-23, Paul teaches us that we will have another presentation one day, and it will be before our Eternal Father, the Almighty, Creator, the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present God. Standing before God is one of the most sobering and awe-inspiring concepts in Scripture. Throughout the Bible, “standing before the Lord” represents moments of holy encounter, divine evaluation, priestly service, and ultimate accountability.

The atonement enables Jesus to present us to His Father as redeemed. On that day, those who have trusted Jesus as their Savior will be presented to God the Father as completely recovered from the fall of mankind and the depravity of sin. He will present us as holy and blameless. But there is a condition, as noted in verse 23. “If” we continue in the faith, steady, unmovable, and not being wishy-washy.

Colossians 1:22-23  “He has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.” 

 Imagine standing in the court of an earthly king. You would make sure your attire was appropriate, think carefully about what you would say, and how you would act in the presence of royalty. Now, consider standing before the King of kings. I have tried to imagine what it will be like on that day. I honestly do not think I will be standing. My imagination has me stretched out on my face on the ground.

In the Old Testament, priests stood before the Lord in the tabernacle to minister and intercede. In I Kings 17:1 Elijah declared, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand.”  Elijah grounded his entire identity and courage in the reality of God’s constant presence. Among those who understood who God is, there remained awe and reverential fear of this holy God.

In Psalm 24:3-4, the psalmist asks, “Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.” On our own merits, none of us can stand in His presence. But with Jesus, Hebrews 4:16  teaches, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We can draw near the throne of grace because Christ makes us presentable to God. He wants to have daily fellowship with Him.

Standing before God is not a passive stance—it is a posture of readiness to serve. In Romans 12:1, Paul urges us to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” Every day, we present the work of our hands, the thoughts of our minds, and the intentions of our hearts before Him. Are we offering Him our best, or are we bringing remnants of our time and energy?

We are all moving toward that final moment when we will stand before God. II Corinthians 5:10 reminds us, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

In that moment, pretense strips away. Titles, wealth, and worldly praise will hold no value. What will matter is our relationship with Jesus and whether or not we were good stewards of the gifts, time, and grace He gave us. If we have been faithful to obey and our faith is anchored in Jesus, we do not have to dread that moment. In Jude 1:24, we will be presented as faultless before the presence of God. This is a powerful promise.

Jude 1:24-25“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and ever.”

It is time to examine ourselves. Are you living with a constant awareness that you are standing before God with each thought and decision you make? Do you have any unconfessed sin you need to address? Keeping the reality of your final presentation before God in mind, should your daily choices change?

Because of the reality that I was a sinner in need of a Savior, I want to present myself to Him daily as a tool to be used for His glory. May I never get over all that He has done to secure salvation for my soul.