Introduction
For any person who loves God, there can be no higher ambition than a conversation with God. And Moses had that. But despite those conversations with God, Moses wanted more, he needed more. He needed to “behold” God’s presence; he wanted to literally see God because in these meetings it was as if God was communicating to Moses from behind a curtain, or in today’s parlance, via zoom but God’s video wasn’t on. All Moses saw was a black box with the name “God” in the middle.
And while some of us would be happy to get even a text message from God, Moses needed to see God—and not because he’s curious. Moses is asking because he and his followers need certainty. They want to know, for certain, there is someone behind the curtain. They need to know there isn’t just some “robo-caller” trying to take advantage of them.
Yes, it’s true… God has freed the Israelites from Egypt and has been feeding them manna and giving them fresh water in the desert. Their needs are being taken care of, but the truth is, other than God’s promise for a Promised Land, they are homeless and wandering in the wilderness. So it’s natural that Moses, who is leading a frightened and cantankerous people, wishes to be just a little more certain. “Show me your glory, I pray,” he says. It’s not much that Moses is asking for really. He’s just saying, “Let me see, for just a second, and then I won’t bother you about this anymore.” It’s not much is it? After all, just a little “seeing” can be “believing” right? And God understands, and offers to meet Moses halfway. “I will make all my goodness pass before you… But you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.”
So God has God’s goodness pass before Moses, but Moses doesn’t get to see the face of God, instead God lets Moses see God’s back. God walks by Moses who is wedged into a crack in the mountain, and with a hand, God covers the opening in the rocks where Moses stands, and then after passing by, God lifts God’s hand and Moses can look and see God walking away, seeing God’s back.
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I’ve always had kind of a long history with this story coming around every so often in obtuse yet faithful ways. In college my religious studies professor and advisor, Dr. Frank Gorman—who was cantankerous himself— loved referencing this story in class, always making an off handed remark about how God’s face wasn’t much to see, but God’s backside was a sight to behold.
Seminary showed me how most scholars have attributed all this seeing and not-seeing to the fact that the glory of God is simply too great for human eyes. But I have found, again and again, when we go deeper into this story we discover there is even more going on between Moses and God…and even us.
Move: 1
This Exodus wilderness wandering story was not the last one of its kind. Wilderness wanderings are still a fact of life all people today, even those who faithfully follow God. And just like for Moses and the Israelites, these wilderness wanderings leave us needing a response.
This story reveals to us that in the wilderness wanderings of life, we can know, for certain God is there. We can know, for certain God is with Moses. We can know, for certain God listens and God responds.
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We are in the midst of a global health pandemic, and the numbers are getting worse and worse, along with the fear and discord within it all.
Our economy continues to decline, the divisive disunity of family, friends, and neighbors continues to broaden, the hopes and dreams of our collective beings continues to decline. The drums of war are beating more loudly. Some are left wondering if we’ll be making the mortgage payments, or how much more our lifestyles will have to change, or if we’ll ever get back to normal. We worry about what are children’s future will hold. Our minds wonder who we will have to say goodbye to next? We wonder about our church, and what will happen to it as the trend continues of lives becoming busier, with less room and less desire for God.
We are in a wilderness wandering unlike anything we have ever experienced. And because we are, we need to know we are not alone in this wilderness world. We need to know God is leading us somewhere— somewhere good. We need to know that in the future is life; abundant life. We need some certainty. It’s not too much to ask, is it?
It was that certainty Moses needed. And like Moses, when in the wilderness of life, we need to know God is listening and responding. We need to know God is there, in the wilderness, with us, at work leading us home.
But with the way forward clouded and hard to see, how then do we find the certainty we need that God is with us, that God is at work in the midst of our wilderness wanderings?
Move: 2
A long time ago I was once told I over use metaphors. Ever since I am self-consciously aware when using them, and try hard not to, but sometimes they just work. For instance…Have you ever been sailing?
I’m more of a speed boat kind of guy, but one thing I’ve learned is that when sailing if the wind is light and you look ahead, it can seem as if you are not moving at all. But if you turn around and look behind you, you can clearly see evidence that you are indeed moving forward, seeing the little swirls and eddies by the stern prove forward progress is happening. We see we are moving forward by looking back.
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This metaphor is applicable when we consider how God is present, listening and responding, moving us forward even when it feels like we are going nowhere— and we can see this truth when we look back and see where we have come from, and what we have come through.
We look back and see not God’s face, but where God has been, where God has passed by. We can see and believe God has been where we were, knowing for certain God listened and responded, because had God not, we would never have moved at all.
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You and I may not actually be able to see God physically like Moses, but we can see where God has been, and what God has done. Just look at this church and its one hundred and eighty eight year history that says, “the glory of God passed by this spot.”
People of faith took a chance and built this church. They gave their money and their time, they invited others in so God would be revealed to them and make their lives better. And because they did, other generations came, and in faith supported this church and did God’s work here, and loved God here, and read and listened to God’s word here, and invited more to come in. You can see God here by looking back and seeing where God was—always at work in and through God’s faithful to move this church through its wilderness wanderings to the promise of better days. We don’t see God face to face, but we can believe the glory of God has passed by.
But maybe we need to see more. Then see the faces of the children who come to the Nest Earlier Learning Center, our Scout programs, our Youth Group—and see God moving us forward.
But maybe we need to see more. Then see the faces of those who come Loaves and Fishes; see the faces of those who don’t have to go hungry because of Stow Bulldog Bags; see the faces of those being supported in their struggle to overcome addiction at the AA meetings—and now see the faces of those seeking help in supporting loved ones struggling with addiction at the weekly Al-Anon group meetings that are now hosted here at FCC Stow.
But maybe we need to see more. Then come tonight to Trunk or Treat and see the faces of children experiencing a church in their community giving them a fun and safe good time. Or go to the Akron Children’s Hospital Memorial service each Christmas season and watch our bell choir members perform for grieving families.
We don’t see God face to face, but we can be certain the glory of God has passed by this place and its faithful people, and God continues to lead us through our wilderness wandering because we demonstrate again and again God showing up to others who are doing their own wilderness wandering—and that is the certainty the world so desperately needs today.
Conclusion
At the risk of over using metaphors, I think it is safe to say that 2020 has been a wilderness wandering kind of year—and who knows how long it will continue.
All of those wonderings and worries I mentioned and more are at play for each of us. And next week each of us is going to be asked how we will support the ministries of this church in the coming, uncertain year. And that is a hard thing to ask—but it has to be done, because we as a church have to be prepared. So I hope you will answer the request.
Yes, I hope you will answer the request by looking ahead, but fully aware that though we cannot see clearly what will come, God is leading us, God is at work for us all, and that work is always for good.
And I hope you will also answer the request by looking behind, and seeing what God has done already in and through this church and its faithful people.
We don’t know for certain where our wilderness wanderings will take us in the coming year, but we can know for certain the world needs what God is doing in and through us; and we can know for certain God will lead us forward to exactly the place we need to be.
Do this, and all of us, and countless others, will certainly see and experience God, at work for good, in the wilderness. Amen.
Pastoral Prayer, October 25, 2020
We know O God, that as much as we don’t want it to be, the future remains a mystery.
We know we shall be changed, received by and live eternally with you—Jesus showed us such. But there is much else we don’t know.
We don’t know why people suffer. We don’t know why disease afflicts our loved ones. We don’t know why hurricanes and tornados hit where they do. We don’t know why some people seem to be more fortunate than others. We don’t know why certain things happen the way they do.
But maybe it’s better that way because this implores us to lean into you, and seek out your presence to lead and guide us in ways that we cannot have on our own.
We rejoice that Moses found the guidance and certainty he needed. He saw not your face Holy God, but he saw you walking ahead, leading the way.
That was what Moses needed. And that is what we need too. We need to know you are there, in charge and leading us because wilderness wanderings of life get scary, even for the most faithful.
So help us to see, and know for certain that you are here with us in the wilderness wanderings of our lives. Help us to have a deeper faith that though these days are tumultuous you are at work to make all things new again.
Have your goodness pass by us, like you did Moses. Shield us from that which will make us die, while showing us that you are indeed going ahead of us, and showing the way to the Promised Land you have made.
Do this we pray, and then further this work through us to a world that needs your presence and goodness.
Help us continue to be the church you have called us to be by looking back and seeing the certainty of all you have done, and looking forward to all the goodness that will certainly come again.
We ask now that you would hear again the prayers of our hearts as we lift them to you in this time of Holy Silence.
All this we pray in the name of Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, who taught us to pray saying, “Our…”