Tent of meeting
July 28, 2024
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Exodus 33: 7-11 (NRSVA)
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tents. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.
When I was small I would sit in the back of the family car, with mum and dad in the front, and my sister to my left. My parents would often have reasonable, but grown up, discussions about things. And I would sit in the back and listen.
I would listen, not really knowing what was going on. I would listen one day hoping to be part of the obviously exciting conversations they were having. And now it is my wife and I that sit in the front and witter whilst our child sits in the back.
In our reading, God is appearing to Moses in his tent. And a cloud descends to let you know that God is there. A relationship between the two is established and the people seem to recognise this as something special.
So, what now?
Moses went to the tent to talk to God. And this was regular, problem solving, stuff of life discussions. Important conversations and relationship building.
But I can’t help but think that this “tent of meeting” and place of encounter with God is both incredibly special, but also should be somewhat mundane.
Standing outside the tent is like sitting in the back seat of the car listening in. You maybe don’t really understand, but are in awe of what is going on. But once you get into the tent, once you intentionally and regularly find space to have your own “tent of meeting” with God, you will find something even better.
Once you regularly sit in the front seat of the car with God, you will find that God is there for the mundane and routine. And God is there for the remarkable and once in a life time event, and everywhere in between.
So, what now? We travel with God, so we can stand in awe, but also sit and chat.
Prayer:
God,
Show me how to be with you, sometimes lost in worship but sometimes found in conversation.
Amen.
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