Friday, March 09, 2012

March 9th Reflection by Bill Lynch


Acts 7:30-40 (NRSV)
God spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai
"Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush. When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 'I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.'

"It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up a prophet for you from your own people as he raised me up.' He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living oracles to give to us. Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, saying to Aaron, 'Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'
Reflection
God shows up anywhere and everywhere it seems. God is not too choosy about where he goes or who he chooses. We tend to see the Biblical Characters in a light that raises them up, and rightly so, but we forget sometimes to see them for the humans that they really are like. They are like you and me. In many ways almost exactly like you and me.

But God is closer than you think. God will come to you in places you least expect it. Yes, come to you! God chooses you also. You are precious in God's sight. When asked to do something, you have received an honor. Don't take it lightly. Just as mentioned in the past few reflections, turn to God first,  not to your own means. Turn to God and pray about that service God has requested. Check it out with a few other's. Search it out in the Word and at Church. Then decide. This can be done quickly. It's not like this needs to take days or months. It can also be done slowly. You will know how much time to take. And expect some push-back from God.

God is closer than you think and loves you more than you could imagine and wants you to be his disciple in the unfolding of new life in this world for all people. It's a joyous journey of faith, hope and love. Have fun with God and be bold to play with Jesus, Moses, Elijah and someone else in God's Kingdom every day of your life.

Prayer
Lord, you come to my door each day with your friends and mine; let's go play! --- Amen

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