Exodus 33.12-18 (CEB): Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you’ve been telling me, ‘Lead these people forward.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. Yet you’ve assured me, ‘I know you by name and think highly of you.’ Now if you do think highly of me, show me your ways so that I may know you and so that you may really approve of me. Remember too that this nation is your people.”
The Lord replied, “I’ll go myself, and I’ll help you.”
Moses replied, “If you won’t go yourself, don’t make us leave here. Because how will anyone know that we have your special approval, both I and your people unless you go with us? Only that distinguishes us, me and your people, from every other people on the earth.”
The Lord said to Moses, “I’ll do exactly what you’ve asked because you have my special approval, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glorious presence.”
If I asked what your favorite Bible passage is, chances are you wouldn’t say, “You know what I’ve always loved? Exodus 33.” No. While we all know John 3.16, Psalm 23, and The Lord’s Prayer, in the thousands of religious/spiritual conversations I’ve had in my life, nobody has ever cited Exodus 33 for much of anything.
This is a pity, because the conversation Moses has with God, particularly in these verses, is foundational to our understanding of Jesus’ ministry. Notice what Moses is saying to God: we cannot exist without Your presence.
We are not a people unless you are with us, and because you’re sending us out of exile—but also into exile—we want to know that you’ll be there with us.
In many ways, God’s people today face a dilemma similar to that of our ancient Jewish ancestors. We are in a new exile. Unable to gather physically because of the Coronavirus pandemic, many of us wonder where God is when we’re physically separated from our faith communities.
Remember, for thousands of years, God was worshipped in a Temple—a holy place, specially prepared for the magnificence of a Supreme Being. Imagine how you would feel if, one day, you were told by that Supreme Being that you were being released into a new world. You’re free people, no longer slaves!
At first, the people rejoice. But then, they realize they have a lot of questions for God. Most importantly, they want to know how they remain God’s people if they can’t bring God’s house with them, or if God isn’t coming with them.
It seems like Moses has to coax God into accompanying the people on their journey. And this is probably what Moses thought as well—as if God could be manipulated.
However, I see Moses’ misunderstanding in this passage. From his point of view, God is asking an awful lot from the people, and Moses wants to make sure God won’t desert them. I know, how dare Moses to question God, right? But you live as a slave under the totalitarian rule of a despot for 1000 years before God says, “Let’s go,” and see how trusting you are.
And, from God’s point of view, the discussion about presence is unnecessary, perhaps even quaint, because God already understands God is with us, always.
It would take quite some time for the people to understand what “God is with us” means. But, in their exile, they discovered a new way to experience God’s presence, even without a temple. This was a turning point in human theology because it meant that, a couple of thousand years later, Jesus could reveal that God’s temple is us.
The ancient Jewish people were a nation unlike any other because they believed their existence depended, not upon land and borders, but absolutely on God’s presence among them. They believed this so deeply that they actually refused to leave captivity unless God promised to accompany them on their journey!
There’s was an astounding understanding of God’s presence as the definition of existential being. There is no “us” without “You,” Lord. There is no people “Israel” without Your guiding presence, Your wisdom, Your love.
Millennia later, Jesus expanded the idea of Jewish covenant to all humans, Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus preached the importance of God’s presence, not just for his people, but for all people. His message isn’t for “Christians,” but for every person, no matter what we name our religions.
Jesus’ message of God’s unconditional, loving presence is powerful even if we don’t believe in God, frankly, because all (and everything) Jesus asks is for us to love our neighbors with every fiber of our being.
God isn’t just a Creator. God is an intimate, loving force. God is us. Within us, among us, the love between us, the mind that forms us. No matter what we name it.
We have an eternal, cosmic agreement with God to remain in a state of continual, covenantal communion. I know that our current predicament is frightening and that social distancing is forcing us to change the way we think about community. But even as we struggle worldwide to continue caring for each other, I see a renewal of our covenant with each other, and I believe it’s coming about because more of us are remembering our ancient responsibility to God in the first place.
We are all children of God, built from the get-go to experience God in our lives—not as some wispy, ethereal, “maybe God is talking to me” spirit, but as a powerful, driving force to love everyone unconditionally.
When God is consciously present in our lives, no matter the space between us, we are given glimpses into a reality that could be. Like Jesus, we see and experience the kin(g)dom of heaven in each other and begin to work together to change this world.
Even as we cloister to protect one another from a pandemic physically, let’s remember that God’s love still connects us and that we are and always will be God’s covenant partners.
And while we humans may not always live up to our end of the bargain, God never fails us and is still upholding her end of the deal.
God is with us. In a cleaner atmosphere, in renewed waters, in the smiles of nurses, the rescue of a first responder, the singing of an Aria through open windows. And in virtual, communal spaces like this.
God is here because we are here.
Amen.
