Friday, June 2, 2017
We
have three Scripture passages in today’s reading. The first is when Moses and the rest of the
freed Israelite slaves reached Mt Sinai after escaping Egypt. They met with God at the base of the
mountain:
On the
morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense
cloud came down on the mountain. There
was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Exodus 19:16(NLT)
Next is
from the Psalms; many years after the first meeting the people had transitioned
from trembling at the sound of God’s thunder and lightning to rejoicing and
trust:
We put our
hope in the Lord. He is our help
and our shield. In him our hearts
rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let
your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. Psalm 33:20-22(NLT)
The last Scripture
helps us understand the transition from scared former slaves to rejoicing
children of God:
For all who
are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you have not received a spirit that makes
you fearful slaves. Instead, you
received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm
that we are God’s children. And since we
are his children, we are his heirs. In
fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also
share his suffering. Romans 8:14-17(NLT)
As new
followers of this God with no name,
the slaves, now-free, didn’t know what to expect when they met Him, up-close
and personally-frightening! After all, thunder
and flashes of lightning? Even my dog
will run and hide under the bed when that happens! The Exodus account was when they first came
to understand…He’s a big God; there ought to be a little trembling when you
have a meeting with Yahweh!
The Psalm
reading came much later in Israel’s history, after much success (and failure)
in trying to follow God. They now had
the understanding of what it means to be covenant
people, God’s special chosen and loved ones. They now prayed for all of Yahweh’s being to
surround them and hold them close. They
now craved His presence and meeting with this thundering God now meant trusting
and hope for the future.
And the
fulfilment passage in Romans shows us the present and future for all who will
desire to meet with God on God’s terms – we become children of His promises,
heirs of the King, brothers and sisters of Jesus, and filled with His Holy
Spirit.
We share in
His glory; we also share in His sufferings.
But in meeting with Him in worship, fellowship, suffering or victory,
the thunder no longer unnerves us, and the lightning is now our friend. That is what it means to be led by the Spirit
of God; we are no longer tossed and turned upside-down by anything.
This is a
process…new believers approach God fearful of what might happen. Growing believers learn to trust and
rejoice. Mature believers learn to rest
with “Abba” their Father.
For You Today
To be led
by His Spirit is to trust in His goodness.
It is to rejoice no matter what happens today because you’re resting
firmly in Abba’s embrace.
So…ready
for a day of rejoicing?
NOTES
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