Revisiting God

A new life-lesson

Today during my Bible study, the Lord showed me an old truth with a new slant.  It amazes me how I can read the same Old Testament story and gain such different insights each time.  I guess that is why it is called the living word.

Ezekial 34 is the story of Moses going to the mountaintop to receive more instructions from God.   Can you imagine spending time with God and leaving with handmade, hand fashioned God tablets with ten simple commandments?  I am sure we would call this a mountaintop experience.  Just when Moses thinks things are going well for his people, who were former slaves, freed by God, his dream is shattered.  He comes down from the mountaintop and finds they have made a golden calf and are worshipping this idol.  He is furious and drops the tablets to the ground, and they are shattered.  Moses realizes his dream will not materialize.  So, does he give up?  Does he leave these people?  Does he go into a deep depression and isolate himself?  No, even though I might have chosen one of those reactions. 

            Instead, he goes up the mountain to be with God again.  “Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will inscribe upon them the words that were on the first tablets.” Exodus 34:1   I realized today that the replacement tablets were a joint human-divine effort. 

I know that Moses wrote this in his life-lesson blog.  He probably wrote, “As leaders, we should set high standards for our people.  However, be prepared.  They may not reach these standards.  They may fall short, but God uses mankind and His divine intervention to pick up those broken pieces and recreate their lives. ”

God gave them a second chance by allowing Moses to carve the tablets and then add God’s holy signature and words.  How many times have I dropped the tablets and a relationship was shattered, a job not completed, a friend not given all the time he deserved?  How many times have I too had a dream that rotted in the sun?  How many times have I blamed someone else, isolated myself, or called on a friend to hear my tale of woe, instead of revisiting God?  Have I allowed Him to take my shattered dream, hopes, or expectations and recreate them with His divine knowledge? This epiphany and awareness was a profound realization this day.  I wanted to share it in my life lesson blog just like Moses.