And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6
This is the opening statement God had made to Moses as he passed in front of him atop Mt. Sinai, and these character traits are significant for multiple reasons.
Growing up as a kid, McDonalds was a treat. Not only were there indoor and outdoor play areas that most likely never got disinfected, and ball pits that help many of anti-bacterial benefits (or fostered bacteria depending on your viewpoint), but the big question that always remained was “would you like that super-sized?” As if the shot of dopamine from salt, sugar, and fats wasn’t enough, we had a choice of gaining exceeding and abundantly more than we could ask for! That is, until we saw the stats of heart-disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety rise at an alarming rate. I’ll let you wrestle with weather this mindset has set in on you today, but if this rings alarmingly close to home, you’re not alone.
Moses was on Mt. Sinai with two stone tablets, waiting for instructions from the Lord, for the SECOND time. After their incredible exodus from Egypt, the Israelite community settled into the wilderness with the purpose of a “reorganizing” of sorts. God had already claimed these people as his own, but their centuries of slavery had distorted the neurological systems of their minds to think, live, and even worse believe that they were slaves.
Today, neuroscience shows us new neurological pathways, a peripheral nerve regenerating its axon, can take on average 40 days to be established. 40 days is arguably the intended time this Israelite community of over 2 million people was supposed to be in the wilderness before traveling through the Jordan river to possess the promised land God was handing over to them.
As Moses came down from Sinai he found his brother Aaron leading these people in worship a golden calf. (Exodus 32:1). This behavior would have been like what they had known from Egypt, however, the argument remains as to whether they were still heading in the right direction. They had actually used the things of the world, their jewelry, to create this idol. They had to make a conscious decision to give up these items, which to them would have held a tremendous value considering their lack of prosperity as slaves.
Moses, coming down from being with the Lord on Sinai, was furious at what the people were doing and threw to the ground the original stones God had written his law. Considering how long God waits for us to turn our hearts from the ways of the world, Moses’s reaction was quite opposite. We find ourselves often being like this to people in our own lives or in this world, yet quickly forgetting the patience and mercy God lavishes upon on each day.
As Moses went back up to meet with the Lord, God reminded him of who he truly is. “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, Exodus 34:6. These are super-sized character traits if we compare natural to supernatural was of living. We want the really big and right now results often without first allowing the Lord to build within us the supernatural ways a love.
There are times, however, when decades of patience and compassion collide with a moment in history of a revelation from the Lord that not only changes the trajectory of someone’s life, but can have that same impact on those around them. I’ve experienced this, but also have been a part of this in the life of someone super close to me. This is the result also of the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” If you “knew” or “had known” comes from the Greek word eídō meaning to perceive or to understand. It’s a revelation from God to understanding something that we didn’t previously comprehend. “I was blind but now I see”. This woman’s life was a mess, but one interaction with Jesus changed everything she knew about herself, her life, her purpose, her actions, her motives and her design and this interaction with Jesus impacted greatly those around her.
John 4:39. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." John 4:41 “And because of his words many more became believers.”
This is the super-sized result we so desire, and if you have yet to experience an interaction with the Lord, there is someone close to you praying for this to happen. There have been multiple “perceiving or understandings” of the source of true living water that have impacted not just the recipient, but many around them perceive, understand, and believe Jesus is who he says he is and the natural response is to bow down and worship.
His mercies are brand new for you today as well. Sit with the source of living water, and allow him to open you to understandings that will change you and everyone around you. His compassion and mercies have been upholding you all along, and longs for a wholly devoted relationship with you.
