Waiting for the Word

Waiting for the Word

(Exodus 24:12-18)

Sun, March 2, 2014, Windsor UBC, J G White

A turtle family went on a picnic. They had prepared seven years for their outing. The family left home, searching for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey, they found it. For about six months they cleared the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangement. They discovered, however, that they had forgotten the saltshaker. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed.

After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow-moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on only with one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed, and the little turtle had not returned. Five years. Six years. Then in the seventh year of his absence, the eldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and began to unwrap a sandwich. At that point, the little turtle popped out from behind a tree shouting, "SEE! I knew that you wouldn’t wait! Now, I am not going to get the salt!" (Sermon Central, Tony Searles)

We imagine that waiting in the life of a tortoise is different from our lives.  But waiting can be very important, even when longer than we humans expect.  

For many a real lesson in time and waiting, read Exodus, and follow the detailed tale of the ancient Israelites, led by Moses.  It is the story of God creating a nation for Himself, and it takes a long time, a lot of starts and stops.  A lot of circling around and trying again.  

Though it surely seemed to take forever, God was faithful, and patient with the people, showed them the way, and made something of them.  God made his people into a blessing for others.

Today’s little reading comes just as Moses ascends a holy mountain to spend some time with the Lord God.  And God gives laws, the Ten Commandments and many other instructions, in this time.  As it happened then, so it still is true:  God  invites people to come to Him, and receive, and communicate.

Here, a special time with the LORD happens amid worship, blood sacrifice, a celebratory meal, and renewal of covenant.  

Today, under the New Covenant, our celebration is actually similar!  In fellowship with Jesus, we worship, we remember His shed blood to save us, we remember by eating a ceremonial meal, and we call Jesus the New Covenant, a new agreement with God.  

How glorious it can be when we allow this time to be with our Lord.  As it was for Moses and the children of Israel, we are called by God, invited, welcomed to His table of fellowship.

One must be devoted to time with the Lord God.  You may have noticed that Moses delegated some work to others while he went up the mountain.  “They can take care of it… I need to go and do this.”  And Moses went up and away, for an extended period.  Forty days - a long time.

Even the way they Old Testament of the Bible is recorded for us is often slow and repetitive.  You’ve read through Leviticus, have you?  Or Numbers?  The comedy film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, picked up on the way the Bible is so repetitive. Some brave knights of the round table seek a holy weapon from the brothers traveling with them.  They choose the holy hand grenade of Antioch, and refer to the instructions...

BROTHER MAYNARD: Armaments, chapter two, verses nine to twenty-one...

SECOND BROTHER: And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then, lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.' (Monty Python’s Holy Grail)

Some of the actual verses in the Old Testament are like that.  Here in Exodus 24, how often does it says Moses went up the mountain?  Verse 9, 13, 15, 18.  Its a bit confusing, his going up, coming down, uh…  Its almost illustrative of God’s invitation to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there…”  It is a big mountain, and a big project to receive the Law of God.

So, for Moses and the Israelites, back then, it was a special, unique moment of getting news from God, the Word, the messages that would guide their lives.  In our time, there is still waiting with the Lord to be done.  To find our own personal pathways, and to follow the vision we see for us to follow together.  

It was wise for us to declare our recent vision for ministry in terms of “by 2017 we will be…”  Some of you may be thinking we want to be all we can be by January 2017.   But it is also possible that we aim to be focused upon the upcoming generations by December 2017.  Even with a flexible timeframe, it does take time.  Time to hear more details from the Lord.  Time to wait upon His presence.  Time to wait upon one another.  Time to climb this mountain, and learn.

This is a key: our waiting upon God.  Our submitting to the Lord’s timeframe and plan.  God is faithful in speaking a transforming word.  The Holy Spirit sometimes needs to wait for us to learn to wait.  We must gain patience, and take the time needed to receive from God.  And God is so patient with us.  

Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.  Jesus went into the wilderness once, alone, for forty days.  We too will be called upon to wait in the quiet places for God, for that rich fellowship with Him, and for a word from Him, for renewal and revival.  

Be patient, brothers and sisters, and trust in God.