Chapter-a-Day Exodus 24

Then Moses climbed the mountain. The Cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of God settled over Mount Sinai. The Cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called out of the Cloud to Moses. Exodus 24:15-16 (MSG)

Wendy and I made our way back from the east coast yesterday. We'd been there for four days on business and we were tired. We'd already extended our stay by a day. United gouged us on price for changing our itinerary.  Then, it was just one of those days. I spilled scalding hot coffee on myself. Wendy left her iPod on the plane. We had to scurry around the bowels of O'Hare airport to file a lost article report. The more tired we felt, the more impatient we got.

Upon reflection, it is still a wonder that we could wake up looking over the Atlantic ocean and walk through our back door, fourteen hundred miiles away, in a matter of a few hours. How discontent, how impatient we've become.

I found it interesting that for all the pomp and fireworks on the mountain, God did not call out to Moses for seven days, and Moses was up there on the mountain for forty days and nights. I can't imagine how impatient people got waiting for him to come down.

Today, I'm reminded that God exists and operates beyond linear human timelines. His purposes are far greater than my modern day impatience, lack of contentment, and petty demands. God, help me let go of my self-centered impatience, and find rest in your perfect will.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and paytonc

Facebook readers: please forgive spacing errors caused by the auto import from the original blog post.

Comments

[Rainey]

How truly stated of our world in general ... especially in the "advanced" countries such as our own.

I recall Paul Smith speaking at The Refuge about this same topic. His example was how the "Close Doors" button on the elevator that both he & I use at work, is crushed and cracked. Since that time, the protective plastic over the button has completely shattered. What a simple, but accurate picture of the impatience in our society.

I speak with accounts on the phone and often times, the person on the other end will apologize repeatedly for their computer being so slow that they can't give me immediate info. I like to respond with, "Yes, it seems that no matter how fast computers get, they just aren't fast enough to satisfy us ... but it's still much faster than searching through boxes of years' worth of filed paperwork!" I would rather get the correct info than the wrong info because someone was in a hurry ... then we just have to do it again anyway!

The Lord has been teaching me patience for quite some time. I am enjoying enjoying life, others, and God's creation more & more.

[kr]

They saw God; and they ate and drank.

What a simple statement that leads the mind to think about so much. Wow, they saw God and then they dined in His presence. That is so cool. I can only imagine.....