07/19/2019
Do you feel out of sorts in your faith? Has God placed you in a certain place, or situation, perhaps asked you to do something that you don’t understand the purpose in? When this happens we often start questioning Him, and get despondent, but suddenly, we are surrounded by His light, and for a brief instant we see Him in a way that would have been impossible anywhere else. We envy those who seem to stand in God’s light always, but sometimes He moves us into a cleft to show us more of Himself.
“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.”
Exodus 33:22 ESV
There have been so many times in my life when I have stood in a cleft in the rock, and waited expectantly for God to pass by, and reveal Himself to me. On occasion I have stood there for quite some time before He has shown me what He intended for me to see. Often I have found myself wondering if He had forgotten me there, but each of those long waits was rewarded with the most amazing view of Himself, and was coupled with what He would have me do next. Moses didn’t have to wait long on God, but sometimes we do; then comes the glimpse that makes it more than worthwhile...
“Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen."”
Exodus 33:23 ESV
I am reminded of the Fourth of July, which is Independence Day in the United States. On this day, when the sun goes down, cities and towns across the country shoot fireworks high into the sky. So each year we spread our blankets out, or unfold our lawn chairs, and wait for the show to begin. It gradually grows dark, and just at the moment when we are about to lose patience, the first tell-take thump is heard, and high above our heads is followed by an enormous bang which sends a shower of colored sparks and fire across the sky. The crowd below ooohs and aaahs as each firework explodes, and the children giggle with glee while the youngest put their fingers in their ears. This goes on for a while until at last it ends in a grand finale in which many large fireworks go off simultaneously... then silence... as the breeze carries the smoke away. But, the memory remains, and the echo of the thunderous booms and brilliance of amazing color fills our dreams for another year. This is a great deal like our encounters with God; we see Him in a glimpse of His glory, then go about His business encouraged by the awe of those moments when He passed by our cleft in the rock.
“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.”
Exodus 33:18-19 ESV
Lifetimes of faith are briefly emphasized by moments when God passes closely by, and proclaims His name, but the majority of our days are spent obeying His will as we witness Him being Gracious to whom He will be Gracious, and showing mercy to whom He will show mercy. This isn’t unlike moving through the church calendar, and finding ourselves in Ordinary Time... advent, Christmas, Epiphany, or Lent, Easter, and Pentecost, are behind us, and now it is time to live out our faith in our everyday lives... going about the Lord’s business as we move on to the next rock that we will stand on, and the next cleft we will be placed in, and we are encouraged once more...
“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.”
Exodus 33:21-22 ESV
So where are you right now? Are you standing on the rock? Have you been placed in a cleft? Or, maybe you are leaning on your faith as you pass through Ordinary Time? Wherever you are, take heart, and be encouraged! But, if you find yourself in that crack in the rock, that cleft in which God has placed you, be patient, and observant, because He is about to reveal Himself to you in a way that will amaze you, and carry you into another season.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for all of your blessings, and for revealing your will to me, but thank you most Holy Father for the moments I am placed in the clefts, and await you to reveal yourself to me in all your splendor and majesty. Then, once you have placed me in awe, help me Merciful Father to go about those Ordinary Times in life when I have heard your will, and have set about obeying it. Keep the memory fresh of those times in the clefts Lord, when you showed me who you were, because those times give me a strength of faith beyond myself... they encourage me, and give me perseverance. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who reveals Himself to me, and gives me understanding through His Holy Spirit. Great are you who sent His Son Jesus to redeem me, and abide in me. I praise your name, and the name of Jesus Christ who also shows Himself to me, even as He did from the cleft that was His tomb, and in the glory of the love He demonstrated from the Cross. You are my God, and all glory is yours Father; you pour it over us like oil through your Son Jesus, and we worship you in all your brilliance, from the depths of the clefts, and during the Ordinary Times of our lives and faith. You are the awe in every encounter, and the quickening in the moments of your revelation. Praised be your name forevermore.
Rich Forbes