Since I can recall, our mother has risen each morning, often ahead of the sun to spend time alone with God. Rarely has she missed a single day. Mom has a small reading room in their home, and anytime I visit and roll out of bed early enough, I can count on seeing a light emitting from under her door. Without going in, I know what she’s doing and it always inspires and gives me a sense of peace for some reason. I have come to believe there isn’t a better way to greet each new day than a talk with God and a chance for Him to talk with me. As often happens, children emulate what they see their parents doing. Not always, but in most cases this is a good thing.
Several years ago, after losing our son I began waking at ridiculously early hours from a bad dream or futile effort to sleep at all. I began following the example I’d seen by spending one-on-one time with God in those anxious hours. As with most habits, if something is found helpful for coping with difficulty, I tend to fall into it. Although many such habits can become unhealthy, this one has been life changing.
This one-on-one time usually begins with a short scripture from the Bible app. The day’s message pops up first, then a brief video clip providing some context and life application, followed with a prayer. Often, something completely unexpected yet useful is revealed in the process. I guess God best understands what we need and opening His word allows the opportunity for it to happen. Last week, I stumbled upon such a message through a short reference in the Old Testament.
In Exodus, Moses is having his own time with God on a mountaintop. Interestingly, it was very early in the morning and with all he had going on I bet he hadn’t slept much the night before either. Caught up in the moment, Moses asks God to reveal His face. You would think a meeting with the Creator of all things would be enough, but Moses wanted to get even closer. God responds to this request in an unusual way, and though hearing this story all my life, I had never made a subtle connection before happening upon it once again that morning.
God tells Moses that He will pass before him but won’t show His face. However, He allows Moses to see His back. That’s always seemed odd to me. Here is the passage:
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But”, he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live”. And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” –Exodus 33: 18-23
Having heard this story since childhood, I never understood why God would only let someone see His back. And why would God be telling Moses to stand in the cleft of a rock? What would God’s back even look like? Then I re-read the same scripture again, but this time capitalizing the “R”. As in the Rock.
Could it be possible that 2000 years before God came to Earth in human form, He was already telling Moses what we now call the Good News? Jesus passed near mankind for only a brief few years. If we will stand upon our faith in this Rock, we will be protected from the effects of this world. Only after God’s hand (Jesus) was taken away, could mankind fully realize the sacrifice made for us, and this was most evident in the scars on His back. No, we aren’t able to see God’s face in this world, but can be assured of seeing it in the next.
I’m certainly no Bible scholar and much of the Old Testament has always seemed dry, but for some reason that morning, these words stood off the page, revealing something completley new. That’s the way God works. Though something has been there all along, we too often don’t slow down and take the time to see it. To me, it’s like a lot of other things such as Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, etc. These happen every year, but until not that long ago, they were just another holiday. Each has now become far more meaningful as I’ve come to learn what they represent.
Easter serves as a reminder that God came to confirm His love for us by sacrificing Himself in our place. Most importantly, He showed Himself to be more powerful than even death, so that we may have eternal life if we simply accept the offer. Now, that’s something to celebrate!
Easter Prayer: God, thank you for coming into this world through Jesus. Thank you for offering Yourself as the perfect sacrifice we did not deserve. Thank You for enduring our punishment and for reminding us that if we hope to ever to look upon Your face, we must first see Your back. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””
John 16:33
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the Rock.”
Matthew 7:24
Braden’s Voice 