Weekly Musings: Grand Exits

One afterthought from a series reflecting on God's Adventure in the epic story of Exodus: God knows how to finish a story. Here are some of lines from the final scene: Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35).

I love how God reminds us at the end who the true hero of the story is. Moses does remarkable things: his leadership is courageous and consistent; his mercy on those who would undermine him is astounding; and his willingness to step out of the comfortable places in his life to take up God's tasks again and again are inspirng. But, in the end, God doesn't even let him in the tent. This show is about God. This story is about God. This adventure we call life is about God. In fact, as we discovered, the adventure isn't just about God, the adventure is God himself. The purpose and delight of human existence has always been and always will be about finding ourselves in the larger story of God's character and activity in the world. It's all about Him.

I guess this is on my mind still, not just because this was the theme of the final message in our most recent series; but because I was thumbing through a recent mailing listing new Christian books. I'm struck by how much of what we put out is all about us. I don't intend this to be critical at all, because I do know how important it is to connect God's truth to our lives, and I try to do the same every week. But sometimes in the mainstream Christian world, all we're offering is what my friend calls "Dr. Phil with a Bible verse." Our attention is so easily turned inward. Unfortunately, the great irony of this spiritual navel-gazing is that when our eyes are taken off of the Creator, we'll never find the healing and happiness that the these "self-help" materials so desperately seek. I truly believe that the greatest longings of our hearts will be satisfied only when we pursue that satisfaction in the wonder of God. So, like Moses, I pray that we can get out of the way long enough that he could fill up the tent of our hearts all over again!

Have a wonderful week!

Dean