Today is a day that we set aside to be thankful. I find myself thankful for many of the same kinds of things that others celebrate: family, friends, a place to work, a place to live, clothes on my back, and food on the table. When I look around at my life, I have many, many reasons to be thankful. Moses was able to be thankful for this same list. He was able to add one to the list, though. He could be thankful for his close relationship with God.
So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. (Exodus 34:4 NIV)
That relationship with God wasn’t always close, at least not from Moses’ perspective. He argued with God at the burning bush. He went frustrated to God when Pharaoh didn’t change his mind fast enough. Now, he was going back to God with blank stone tablets because he had destroyed the first set. Moses gave God many, many reasons to just give up on him.
Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 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, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." (Exodus 34:5-7a NIV)
I have to wonders what Moses felt that day. Maybe he expected God to carve the new set of tablets and give them to Aaron or Joshua. Perhaps he figured God would punish him for his consistent mess-ups. Maybe he was waiting for God to zap him and put them both out of their misery. Whatever the expectation, God met Moses with forgiveness.
“Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. (Exodus 34:7a-8 NIV)
How about you? Are you thankful for God’s forgiveness? What helps you enter a place where you worship?
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