Bibledoorajar: What Moses Wanted

     Moses went up Mt. Sinai twice. The first time as he came down, he was filled with anger at what he saw the people doing (golden calf incident),  and he threw down the tablets of stone. I  personally think Moses had become fully aware that the laws given by God totally revealed man's inability to keep them.  He decided more of God was what was needed. On his second trip up Sinai his emphasis was entirely different. Basically, he said to God that He(God) knew all about him (Moses) and he asked if he could know more of Him (see God's glory). What had God shown Moses up there before? He had revealed His Name. He had revealed His Law. He had revealed His character. These were to be the proof of His holiness and worthiness. But these also brought judgement and death.  But this time, Moses asked if he could see more of the God of the Name, the Law, and Pristine Character. God told Moses that no one could look on His perfection and live. But He would do a great thing to help Moses know Him nevertheless. He told Moses that there was a place nearby God where He would put Moses. He was to be nestled IN the cleft of the ROCK and be covered by God's hand as He passed by. Talk about a different RESULT!!! Moses came down the mountain with the tablets and his face shone gloriously. His aim for the tablets was different. His intent was to place them in the ark in the Most Holy Place. Interestingly enough, Moses did not even realize that his face was glowing, but the people saw it and knew. Their "view" of God was also elevated by this event!!! And so it is, even today, that when we can see the glory on the faces of Christians hidden in the Rock our faith is elevated. It is not so much what these Christians do for God, but the solace and peace they seem to have gained from being hidden with Him.
      This week our minister said that he wanted us to focus on elevating our worship during these next months even as the world elevates its worldly approach to the holidays. Perhaps one way to do that would be to meditate on the safety from the death of the law that we have been given as God has placed us in the cleft of the Rock. Let's see if anyone can see our shining faces and thus honor and worship our God. Meditate of John 14: 9ff. and let your heart sing. Have a great week.