Some thoughts gathered from my readings for this week…

This week we hear a biblical story of the human experience of divine presence – Moses’ craving to physically see God. The Exodus passage (33:12-23) reminds us of a God who is always present with us. The goodness of God is always passing by us, inviting holy life and caring for us as we journey… often without us realizing that God has been present, until we look back. We do not see the face of God, but we see where God has been.

We do not see the face of God, which means that none of us can ever define God. We may only share our experiences of the presence of God and reflect, on what we have experienced.

In Christ, as depicted in the Gospel, we see a God who is not trapped by those who try to capture him by holding him into one loyalty or another. God is always beyond us, and our attempts to either own the divine (as against other people) or destroy the divine, because we do not approve of something about this God who challenges us. God lives in grace and freedom among us and within us.

Moses, together with the people of God, was on a journey… looking for “home”. Like Moses, when we recognize the presence of God and are in communication with the divine we are at peace…

Where is my home?

Is it the house where I live,

The garden where I sit in summer,

The country where I roam,

Or the church where I worship?

The place I call home

Is where my heart is at rest.

And my heart is most at rest

When it turns to God in prayer.

So wherever I pray is home.

~ From Celtic Parables: stories, poems, and prayers by Robert van de Weyer

Blessings

Reverend Shan