On Speaking Terms
Sermon
Walking With God
Cycle A First Lesson Sermons for Proper 23 through Thanksgiving
Do you ever have moments in your life when you feel that God must have decided somehow not to be on speaking terms with you anymore? Maybe you haven't seen him answer your prayers for some time, or perhaps you haven't sensed his presence in your life for a while. For some reason, you have been led to wonder if he's giving you a cold shoulder. You begin to think that he has stopped talking with you altogether.
If you can say that such a thought has crossed your mind, then you can probably identify with the dilemma faced by God's people in the story recorded in Exodus 33. They had to contend with God's silent treatment when he stopped talking with them. After what they had done, we really can't blame God for distancing himself from them. They had insulted him and the covenant he had made with them by wasting no time before they gave themselves to worshiping a golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses had gone up the mountain to meet with God about the Ten Commandments, and his people waited only a little while before they decided that their leader would never return. They took matters into their own hands and crafted a deity that made them feel comfortable in the loneliness of the desert. No wonder God refused to give any assurance that he wouldn't go any farther with them. He said to Moses that he would provide an angel to guide them on the rest of their journey to the promised land, but he could not say that he would go himself (vv. 33:1-3). Indeed, God and his people were no longer on speaking terms.
God's relationship with Moses was completely different. They talked to each other like two old trusted, lifelong friends (v. 11). They seemed to enjoy each others' company, and everyone in the camp knew it. The people knew when Moses would make his way to his conversation with God. They would watch Moses pass on his way to the tent of meeting, and silence filled the camp when he passed. Out of respect for Moses and fear for God, they stood to their feet when he passed their way. They knew better than to show any form of disrespect.
Once inside the tent, Moses and God talked with each other. They may have taken up their conversation from the previous day. Friends glad to see each other, perhaps they visited about nothing special or maybe they took on some fairly prickly issues. And like friends who were close to one another, they probably talked about everything. No topic was off limits between them.
While we lament that sometimes we feel like the children of Israel to whom God has given a cold shoulder, we find comfort in the fact that he would rather talk with us like friends. Jesus said as much when he shared with his disciples that he saw them as his friends and not slaves (John 15:14-15). For us as believers in the twenty-first century, an intimate relationship with him can be the norm and not the exception. When we grow in our walk with Jesus, we can think about our relationship with him in terms of friendship; we can become more confident about talking with him about what really matters to us. To borrow some of Paul's words, we can make our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6). Or like John said, we can have the confidence in knowing that he hears us when we pray (1 John 13-14). We can talk with him about anything and everything.
In his deep and abiding friendship with the Lord, Moses made a serious request. He appealed to the Lord, "Show me your ways" (v. 13). We can understand why Moses would make such a daring request. He wanted to know what God expected of him and the people who had followed him out of Egypt. He seemed to be asking God, "Show me your intentions." If Moses only knew what God had in mind for them and what he wanted them to do, he would lead the people to do it.
Up to that point, Moses didn't know what to do next with God's people. God had told him that he didn't think he would go with them any farther. They had been obstinate. Their stiff necks kept them from bowing their heads and hearts and submitting themselves to God and honoring the covenant they had recently made with him.
That's why Moses appealed to God as a friend. He put all of his chips on the table, so to speak, in his appeal for God. He asked God to show him once and for all what God expected of his people. Doing what God wanted would get them out of the desert and on their way to the land he promised them.
In his appeal, Moses brought up the fact that the Lord favored him, so his request for divine insight had a dependable foundation. It was based on their rock-solid relationship. Furthermore, Moses went on to say, the Israelites under his care still belonged to the Almighty. They needed his guidance or they wouldn't make it to the next rest stop in the desert, much less to the promised land. Slaves in a foreign land for all of their lives, they would have to grow into their status as God's chosen people.
True to his nature, the Lord didn't hold a grudge against Moses or the people. He responded favorably to Moses' request. And he did something else. In a way, he told Moses, "You want me to give you a map, but I would rather give you a guide."
That's something to think about as we take a look at our friendship with God. Like Moses, we would like for God simply to tell us what God expects of us. If we know what God wants us to do, we will do it if at all possible. We want to please him, but we don't know how if he won't tell us. Telling us what he wants us to do would make following him much simpler. Like Moses, therefore, we would like for God to show us his ways.
Sometimes we react to the lack of clarity regarding God's leadership like Fay responded to the supervisor at her new job. She had been at work for a couple of weeks when her supervisor called her into his office for an evaluation.
"First of all," he said with a grin, "I am glad that you are on the team, so don't forget that fact as I talk with you about a problem that I am having with you."
"What problem?" she asked, completely shocked by his remark.
"You're not following through on my directives," he said.
"What directives? You haven't given me one directive ever since I've been here. Yes, you have given me some suggestions and offered a few possibilities for getting my work done more efficiently, but I haven't heard you give a single directive since the first day I walked in the door."
"Well, then, we have misunderstood each other. For me, a suggestion or an idea is a directive."
"Oh, I didn't know," Fay confessed. "Now that I understand, you can count on me to follow through without fail."
"Good. By the way, I have a suggestion about tomorrow's staff meeting."
Once Fay understood what her supervisor expected of her, she could carry out his directives without any problem. In the same way, we would like for God to tell us in simple, straightforward terms what he wants so we can please him by obeying him.
That's where the map comes into the picture. We would like God to give us a map with the path for our journey that God wants us to take. A map provides clear, unmistakable information for us to follow to get to the destination he has in mind for us.
When we travel abroad, we would be wise to carry a tourist manual that is complete with all kinds of information about the cities we will visit, including maps. We consult the manual every time we turn the corner in search of tourist sights. The map helps us get where we want to go so we can see what we traveled there to see in the first place.
To be honest, most of us probably prefer a tour guide over a map. Instead of stumbling along trying to read the map and see the sights at the same time, following a tour guide can enable us to enjoy the sightseeing adventure more. We simply follow the guide and hear him or her talk about the significant features of the places we visit. We can rest in the assurance that the guide will take us where we need to go and will keep us from places that would be a waste of our time. Who wouldn't prefer a guide over a map?
When we pray, we tend to ask God for a map because it's easy for us to use it in our effort to please him. But he prefers to give us a guide because it makes the journey more rewarding.
Of course, God is the guide. We can rest assured that he will lead us where we need to go, and he will keep us from places that won't be good for us or guide us through them so we can arrive at our destination safe and sound. God goes with us through life, every step of the way, guiding us along and never leaving us for one minute. Like Moses, we enjoy God's abiding presence because he's our friend. In the presence of the Almighty, our souls find rest. We have no apprehension because God is near.
Moses made a second request of God. He asked the Lord, "Show me your glory!" Again, he made a daring request, but he felt confident in making it because nothing was off-limits between him and his God.
We can appreciate Moses' request. God's glory involves his physical presence. Consequently, seeing his glory means seeing him with our eyes. How many times have you wished that you could actually see Jesus in the same way that his disciples saw him? If you could look on his face, listen to his voice, observe his body language, and touch his hand, everything would be better for you. The questions that have gone unanswered so far could be put to God directly. The needs that you have could be brought to his attention instantly. You could hear for yourself God's answer and watch him actually take care of the need that you brought to him. Probably most important, you could feel God's gentle touch as he placed his loving hand on your shoulder or hugged you in his strong arms. His physical presence with us would make following God easier.
It wouldn't be best for us. Like Moses, we can't see God's face and live. To see God's face means to behold what lies ahead of us. Frankly, if we knew all of what's ahead of us, we would probably die of shock!
No, God doesn't show us where we're going, but he lets us see where he's been. By the same token, he's not always going to let us see what lies ahead, but he'll point out how he walked with us in the past. That's what the Lord seemed to be saying to Moses. He told him, and us by inference, "I won't show you my glory, but I will let you see my goodness."
All of us have seen God's goodness to us in our lives when we look for it. Like he said to Moses, we have seen his integrity at work. His name stands out as wonderful indeed. And we have also seen God's mercy, love, and grace reflected in a number of ways. Of course, the central expression of these great virtues centers in Jesus Christ. God's Son will always demonstrate that he keeps his word and upholds his wonderful name. Likewise, Jesus Christ will forever reflect in a superlative way the Lord's great mercy and grace to us.
Indeed we have seen the most perfect expression of God's goodness in Christ.
Notice something else the Lord did for Moses. It's something that reflected well on his character (vv. 21-23). Remember that Moses wanted to see the Lord's glory. Honoring Moses request would have been a dangerous proposition. However, the Lord really wanted Moses to experience God in an up-close-and-personal kind of way. Such an intimate encounter would benefit Moses for many years to come. For that reason, the Lord encouraged Moses to come a little closer to him. He went on to say to his friend, "Stand here close to me, and I will protect you."
As Moses moved next to the Lord's side, he felt God's hand directing him to a cleft in the rock that served like a cradle. There God placed his friend for his protection. Like a baby tucked safely into a cradle by a caring and loving parent, the Lord placed Moses in the cleft of the rock. Then God's mighty hand covered him. When his glory passed by, no harm would come to Moses.
What's the most striking part of the scene for you? For me, it's when God told Moses, "Come here and stand by me" and then placing him gently in the cleft of the rock and covering him with his hand.
That portion of the scene raises an important question. How often does the Almighty invite us to come close, to make our way to him, to stand by his side so he can watch out for us? When we come close, we find in God's presence that we can trust him. We can trust him to place His mighty, gentle hand over us to hold us close. He calls us to come close so God can protect us in his mighty hand.
The story of Moses, God's friend, encourages us. Through it we get a clear picture of how much God wants us to know him intimately. Granted, he expects us to come to him on his terms, not ours. But his terms always serve us best in the long run. By coming to God and learning to trust him, we come to comprehend how much he wants to guide us, how good he is to us, and how much he wants us to come close to him.
What does this story have to say to us when we feel that God's not on speaking terms with us? It assures us that God doesn't hold grudges and that he's always willing to open his arms wide to us. What's even more beautiful, he's waiting for us to take that important step. In fact, he may have been waiting for some time now, so don't put God off any longer. He wants to hide you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with his hand. Amen.
If you can say that such a thought has crossed your mind, then you can probably identify with the dilemma faced by God's people in the story recorded in Exodus 33. They had to contend with God's silent treatment when he stopped talking with them. After what they had done, we really can't blame God for distancing himself from them. They had insulted him and the covenant he had made with them by wasting no time before they gave themselves to worshiping a golden calf at the foot of Mount Sinai. Moses had gone up the mountain to meet with God about the Ten Commandments, and his people waited only a little while before they decided that their leader would never return. They took matters into their own hands and crafted a deity that made them feel comfortable in the loneliness of the desert. No wonder God refused to give any assurance that he wouldn't go any farther with them. He said to Moses that he would provide an angel to guide them on the rest of their journey to the promised land, but he could not say that he would go himself (vv. 33:1-3). Indeed, God and his people were no longer on speaking terms.
God's relationship with Moses was completely different. They talked to each other like two old trusted, lifelong friends (v. 11). They seemed to enjoy each others' company, and everyone in the camp knew it. The people knew when Moses would make his way to his conversation with God. They would watch Moses pass on his way to the tent of meeting, and silence filled the camp when he passed. Out of respect for Moses and fear for God, they stood to their feet when he passed their way. They knew better than to show any form of disrespect.
Once inside the tent, Moses and God talked with each other. They may have taken up their conversation from the previous day. Friends glad to see each other, perhaps they visited about nothing special or maybe they took on some fairly prickly issues. And like friends who were close to one another, they probably talked about everything. No topic was off limits between them.
While we lament that sometimes we feel like the children of Israel to whom God has given a cold shoulder, we find comfort in the fact that he would rather talk with us like friends. Jesus said as much when he shared with his disciples that he saw them as his friends and not slaves (John 15:14-15). For us as believers in the twenty-first century, an intimate relationship with him can be the norm and not the exception. When we grow in our walk with Jesus, we can think about our relationship with him in terms of friendship; we can become more confident about talking with him about what really matters to us. To borrow some of Paul's words, we can make our requests known to God (Philippians 4:6). Or like John said, we can have the confidence in knowing that he hears us when we pray (1 John 13-14). We can talk with him about anything and everything.
In his deep and abiding friendship with the Lord, Moses made a serious request. He appealed to the Lord, "Show me your ways" (v. 13). We can understand why Moses would make such a daring request. He wanted to know what God expected of him and the people who had followed him out of Egypt. He seemed to be asking God, "Show me your intentions." If Moses only knew what God had in mind for them and what he wanted them to do, he would lead the people to do it.
Up to that point, Moses didn't know what to do next with God's people. God had told him that he didn't think he would go with them any farther. They had been obstinate. Their stiff necks kept them from bowing their heads and hearts and submitting themselves to God and honoring the covenant they had recently made with him.
That's why Moses appealed to God as a friend. He put all of his chips on the table, so to speak, in his appeal for God. He asked God to show him once and for all what God expected of his people. Doing what God wanted would get them out of the desert and on their way to the land he promised them.
In his appeal, Moses brought up the fact that the Lord favored him, so his request for divine insight had a dependable foundation. It was based on their rock-solid relationship. Furthermore, Moses went on to say, the Israelites under his care still belonged to the Almighty. They needed his guidance or they wouldn't make it to the next rest stop in the desert, much less to the promised land. Slaves in a foreign land for all of their lives, they would have to grow into their status as God's chosen people.
True to his nature, the Lord didn't hold a grudge against Moses or the people. He responded favorably to Moses' request. And he did something else. In a way, he told Moses, "You want me to give you a map, but I would rather give you a guide."
That's something to think about as we take a look at our friendship with God. Like Moses, we would like for God simply to tell us what God expects of us. If we know what God wants us to do, we will do it if at all possible. We want to please him, but we don't know how if he won't tell us. Telling us what he wants us to do would make following him much simpler. Like Moses, therefore, we would like for God to show us his ways.
Sometimes we react to the lack of clarity regarding God's leadership like Fay responded to the supervisor at her new job. She had been at work for a couple of weeks when her supervisor called her into his office for an evaluation.
"First of all," he said with a grin, "I am glad that you are on the team, so don't forget that fact as I talk with you about a problem that I am having with you."
"What problem?" she asked, completely shocked by his remark.
"You're not following through on my directives," he said.
"What directives? You haven't given me one directive ever since I've been here. Yes, you have given me some suggestions and offered a few possibilities for getting my work done more efficiently, but I haven't heard you give a single directive since the first day I walked in the door."
"Well, then, we have misunderstood each other. For me, a suggestion or an idea is a directive."
"Oh, I didn't know," Fay confessed. "Now that I understand, you can count on me to follow through without fail."
"Good. By the way, I have a suggestion about tomorrow's staff meeting."
Once Fay understood what her supervisor expected of her, she could carry out his directives without any problem. In the same way, we would like for God to tell us in simple, straightforward terms what he wants so we can please him by obeying him.
That's where the map comes into the picture. We would like God to give us a map with the path for our journey that God wants us to take. A map provides clear, unmistakable information for us to follow to get to the destination he has in mind for us.
When we travel abroad, we would be wise to carry a tourist manual that is complete with all kinds of information about the cities we will visit, including maps. We consult the manual every time we turn the corner in search of tourist sights. The map helps us get where we want to go so we can see what we traveled there to see in the first place.
To be honest, most of us probably prefer a tour guide over a map. Instead of stumbling along trying to read the map and see the sights at the same time, following a tour guide can enable us to enjoy the sightseeing adventure more. We simply follow the guide and hear him or her talk about the significant features of the places we visit. We can rest in the assurance that the guide will take us where we need to go and will keep us from places that would be a waste of our time. Who wouldn't prefer a guide over a map?
When we pray, we tend to ask God for a map because it's easy for us to use it in our effort to please him. But he prefers to give us a guide because it makes the journey more rewarding.
Of course, God is the guide. We can rest assured that he will lead us where we need to go, and he will keep us from places that won't be good for us or guide us through them so we can arrive at our destination safe and sound. God goes with us through life, every step of the way, guiding us along and never leaving us for one minute. Like Moses, we enjoy God's abiding presence because he's our friend. In the presence of the Almighty, our souls find rest. We have no apprehension because God is near.
Moses made a second request of God. He asked the Lord, "Show me your glory!" Again, he made a daring request, but he felt confident in making it because nothing was off-limits between him and his God.
We can appreciate Moses' request. God's glory involves his physical presence. Consequently, seeing his glory means seeing him with our eyes. How many times have you wished that you could actually see Jesus in the same way that his disciples saw him? If you could look on his face, listen to his voice, observe his body language, and touch his hand, everything would be better for you. The questions that have gone unanswered so far could be put to God directly. The needs that you have could be brought to his attention instantly. You could hear for yourself God's answer and watch him actually take care of the need that you brought to him. Probably most important, you could feel God's gentle touch as he placed his loving hand on your shoulder or hugged you in his strong arms. His physical presence with us would make following God easier.
It wouldn't be best for us. Like Moses, we can't see God's face and live. To see God's face means to behold what lies ahead of us. Frankly, if we knew all of what's ahead of us, we would probably die of shock!
No, God doesn't show us where we're going, but he lets us see where he's been. By the same token, he's not always going to let us see what lies ahead, but he'll point out how he walked with us in the past. That's what the Lord seemed to be saying to Moses. He told him, and us by inference, "I won't show you my glory, but I will let you see my goodness."
All of us have seen God's goodness to us in our lives when we look for it. Like he said to Moses, we have seen his integrity at work. His name stands out as wonderful indeed. And we have also seen God's mercy, love, and grace reflected in a number of ways. Of course, the central expression of these great virtues centers in Jesus Christ. God's Son will always demonstrate that he keeps his word and upholds his wonderful name. Likewise, Jesus Christ will forever reflect in a superlative way the Lord's great mercy and grace to us.
Indeed we have seen the most perfect expression of God's goodness in Christ.
Notice something else the Lord did for Moses. It's something that reflected well on his character (vv. 21-23). Remember that Moses wanted to see the Lord's glory. Honoring Moses request would have been a dangerous proposition. However, the Lord really wanted Moses to experience God in an up-close-and-personal kind of way. Such an intimate encounter would benefit Moses for many years to come. For that reason, the Lord encouraged Moses to come a little closer to him. He went on to say to his friend, "Stand here close to me, and I will protect you."
As Moses moved next to the Lord's side, he felt God's hand directing him to a cleft in the rock that served like a cradle. There God placed his friend for his protection. Like a baby tucked safely into a cradle by a caring and loving parent, the Lord placed Moses in the cleft of the rock. Then God's mighty hand covered him. When his glory passed by, no harm would come to Moses.
What's the most striking part of the scene for you? For me, it's when God told Moses, "Come here and stand by me" and then placing him gently in the cleft of the rock and covering him with his hand.
That portion of the scene raises an important question. How often does the Almighty invite us to come close, to make our way to him, to stand by his side so he can watch out for us? When we come close, we find in God's presence that we can trust him. We can trust him to place His mighty, gentle hand over us to hold us close. He calls us to come close so God can protect us in his mighty hand.
The story of Moses, God's friend, encourages us. Through it we get a clear picture of how much God wants us to know him intimately. Granted, he expects us to come to him on his terms, not ours. But his terms always serve us best in the long run. By coming to God and learning to trust him, we come to comprehend how much he wants to guide us, how good he is to us, and how much he wants us to come close to him.
What does this story have to say to us when we feel that God's not on speaking terms with us? It assures us that God doesn't hold grudges and that he's always willing to open his arms wide to us. What's even more beautiful, he's waiting for us to take that important step. In fact, he may have been waiting for some time now, so don't put God off any longer. He wants to hide you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with his hand. Amen.
