A cleft in the rock

Dan Harper July 30, 2024 7 1

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

Exodus 33: 18-23 (NRSVA)

18 Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ 19 And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, “The Lord”; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But’, he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ 21 And the Lord continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; 22 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; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.’

One day, when the temperature was somewhere about 35 degrees and it felt like my clothes were melting, I found myself in a hole in the wall type pub in the back streets of Prague. I was welcomed by cool air and the option of either a small or large dewy glass of undisclosed Czech pilsner.

This tiny pub was populated with a handful of weather-beaten men, the occasional unused stool, and a TV in the corner with a fuzzy local football match being ignored. In the heat this was as close to heaven as I could imagine, although we had no common language between us.

In our reading we recognise that sometimes biblical accounts are a little strange. In knowing that we accept that Moses cannot see God’s face, but an as intimate as possible friendly encounter is arranged. And it happens, God provided a place of shelter for Moses, and they made it work.

In the cool of that heavenly room I didn’t understand what was being said nor was English understood, but more beer came. At this point the barman pointed me towards the TV in the corner. Rather than unwatched local football there was now something like Ceefax displaying the Scottish football scores.

I don’t know how he knew I was Scottish. I do know that East Fife beat Montrose that day, and more importantly I felt cared for and included.    

Oddly enough this is how our personal encounters with God can be. Coming out of nowhere, they are a life changing moment or finding comfort in the hand of God. We might not fully understand what is going on but we are nurtured and supported from the weathering of life.

So, what now? As we travel with God, we know that there will be points where we need comfort, and points where Glory will shine all around. But in this we need to accept we don’t always understand what is going on, but be ready for these encounters all the same.

Prayer:

God,

Shelter me from the heat that scorches and give me glimpses of your glory.

Amen