Face to Face…Or Not

Exodus 33:1-23

What a fascinating account we find in our reading from Exodus for today. “Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ And [the Lord] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, 'The LORD'…But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ And the LORD continued, ‘See, 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).

Add this encounter to the list that includes Abraham’s meeting with God by the Oaks of Mamre (Genesis 18), Isaiah’s experience in the temple (Isaiah 6:1-8), Ezekiel on the bank of the River Chebar (Ezekiel 1), and the stories from Eden when God walked in the garden in the cool of the evening and sought out Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:8f). Only in this case God’s glory is too great for Moses to bear, so God will place the divine hand over Moses’s face until God has passed at which point Moses may see God’s back. God’s hand…God’s back…God’s face! Let that sink in for a second.

What great comfort is to be found in the thought of God’s presence in the midst of humanity calling, leading, teaching, correcting, judging, nurturing and so forth. Time after time God is willing to be encountered and comprehended by men and women. In the fullness of time, of course, God took the form of Jesus Christ and became fully immersed in human life. In Jesus we continue to see God at work calling, leading, teaching, correcting, judging, nurturing and so forth. Only in this case we need not divert our eyes, even from the light of Easter morning.

May each of us have the opportunity to know the presence of God today. May each of us be guided by God’s will as though by the divine hand. May each of us follow in God’s footsteps and know God’s love as a present reality. Does God really have a hand, a back, a face? That’s not really the point. The point is that God is real, and close, and able to be known. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord, may we see you today as you would be seen. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Search for Honesty

Jeremiah 5:1-9

Romans 2:25-3:18

In our reading from Jeremiah for today God has a challenge for the prophet. “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “look around and take note! Search its squares and see if you can find one person who acts justly and seeks truth — so that I may pardon Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 5:1).

Perhaps these words remind you of Diogenes, the ancient Greek, who was said to walk the streets of Athens by day, lit lantern in hand, “looking for an honest man.” Or maybe you are reminded of the conversation between God and Abraham in Genesis 18:22-33 where Abraham urges God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if only ten righteous people can be found there. In either case, the search is in vain. Paul has his thoughts on the matter. Quoting Psalm 14 he tells his readers in Rome that “There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God” (Romans 3:10-11).

Not exactly cheerful stuff. But if we are honest with ourselves we will admit the truth. In all of God’s creation there are no sinless people, none. Not you, not me, not anyone. We all struggle with the will of God. We all fall short of God’s intentions for us. And God knows this and wants us to recognize it, too. After all, it is the season of Lent, a time of self-examination, of coming to terms with who we are and seeking God’s help in overcoming our deficiencies. Even though God loves us and wants what is best for us, God remains our judge, the one who holds us accountable. Only in the act of judgment does God’s grace make any difference to us. Not that we are to wallow in our sin, but when we confess to God—even knowing we will be forgiven—we do not take it lightly, either. All of us need God’s help, and in grace God gives it. Not in a meaningless way, but with the power to save us from ourselves. In all honesty we need God’s forgiveness.

Prayer: Lord, help us to see our sinfulness and to trust your forgiveness, that by your grace we may live as your people. In Jesus' name. Amen.