You were preparing me for today's reading even as yesterday began. Here in Indiana, we are experiencing some of those "perfect" days of Spring. They came a little later than usual this year and the temperatures are now in the high 70's with the bright blue skies and puffy white clouds. These are the days people write poems about. As I was walking out of my house yesterday morning our dear neighbors were walking past on their early morning walk. I remarked to them how beautiful the day was and then continued on by saying that this was the "perfect day" and I was disgruntled about how it had taken so long for the warm weather to arrive and how much I wasn't looking forward to the really hot sticky days of summer. My dear neighbor responded by saying, "I bet the Good Lord surely gets tired of us." And I knew at the moment I was standing on holy ground and that You had just spoken to me through her.
Today in my reading I'm reminded of how much I'm like the Israelites. Despite the many miracles you revealed yourself through, they continued to grumble. You led them out of captivity and they grumbled. You led them through the Red Sea and drowned the Egyptians. They praised you momentarily but only a few paragraphs below they were grumbling again. Time after time they missed the miracle of your revelation and provision for them because they were so focused on themselves and the way they wanted the world to be. I recognize now that my dear neighbor was just preparing me to identify with how easy it is to praise you when you're giving me what I want, but how slippery it is to start grumbling when your provision doesn't meet my expectations. I miss the miracle of you when I focus on my self.
Secondly I was reminded that you were with them in all circumstances. You provided your pillar of fire and your cloud of covering for them as they wandered through the desert. These served functional physical and spiritual purposes and were a visual reminder that You were the one directing their path. Yet they also came to expect this as an entitlement rather than a blessing. They truly missed you because they thought they deserved You. How often I explain away Your presence in my life rather than celebrating the miracle that it truly is. I can explain away the beauty of the creation because scientifically I understand the chemistry or biology behind it. Yet I miss the miracle that You were the one who created atoms and cells that enabled it all to come to be. Please forgive me.
Throughout this reading you also reaffirmed to me many of your physical qualities.
- You are patient and long suffering. You continued to provide for the Israelites despite their grumblings and lack of respect towards you.
- You are to be feared. Ex 20:20 states that "God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning." Please help me establish a healthy fear of you.
- You are a God of order. You outlined the commandments. You deigned the instructions and rules to maintaining order. You gave elaborate instructions on the construction of the tabernacle, priestly garments, and elements of worship.
- You are a God of provision. You enabled Moses and Aaron to do things that they wouldn't have been able to do on their own. You provided manna and meat for the Israelites. (Actually this reinforced a point I've made in earlier posts about helping me understand between my needs and my wants. Ex 23:25 states, "Worship the Lord your God and his blessing will be on your food and water." It doesn't say your blessing will be my material gain (or my wants...) rather it says it will be on my needs (my food and water.) Help me realize you provide for all my needs.
- You are an omniscient, all powerful God. You are in control of everything. You tell the Israelites in Ex 23:27ff that you will drive out their enemies. However you won't do it all in one year because the land would become desolate and overrun with wild animals. Even though you could smite all evil in the world with a single stroke of your hand, you are perhaps even using this evil for our benefit because without it we wouldn't know your provision in the way we have the opportunity to today.
How I praise you for who you are and what you reveal to me daily. Help me focus on myself a little less so I can see you a little more today and every day after.
