For the first time ever, the Hebrews are about to meet the God who rescued them from Egypt. And as anyone who has been invited to the White House or Buckingham palace - there is a protocol to follow when you meet someone important.
God has three instructions to the meeting. First, the must respect the physical barricades around the mountain. Second, they must come dressed in the best clean clothes. And third, couples must abstain from sexual contact for three days.
It's not clear why God sets these particular conditions for their encounter. Certainly, no one would suggest that we need to do something similarly before Church every week. It seemed to be something specific for these Hebrews, and became a foundation for the way Israel worshipped.
But it does remind us that there are times when we are challenged to follow God's instruction even if we don't understand the reasons for the instruction. If God is to be God, he is not obligated to make sense before we would obey him.
After all, it is a privilege to meet God that we would do anything for the opportunity - just like we would do anything to meet a movie star or someone we admire.
For the most part, Jesus' death removes most physical and ritual barricades between God and us. But he does have some instructions about the kind of values we are to hold and live out as God's children, the attitudes with which we pray and worship, and the ways we spend our time, energy and money.
And perhaps we find these instructions mystifying as the Hebrews find their instructions. But our challenge is the same - to trust the God who has shown himself to be on ourside; to follow his instructions simply because he asks us to; and to do it for the privilege of getting as close to him as we can.
Write
Think about your faith story: what is your experience with God's instructions for your life? What have you found to be confounding and perplexing?
in your life presently, which instructions of God's do you find hard to follow? Which of these intructions do you think would help you to experience more of God?
Who do you know is finding it hard to live God's instructions?
Pray
What
is God saying to you today? What's Good News to you?
Talk to God about your experience with his instructions. Thank God for the way he communicates clearly his instructions, and gives us his Spirit to help us live them out.
Pray about the instructions you presently struggle with. Ask God for the help you need, the reassureance of his presence, and the courage to do what God instructs even if you don't understand why.
Pray for your friend who struggles to live God's way. Ask God to give you the wisdom and opportunity to come along side your friend..
Pray for an experience of God's love, grace and mercy in the way he wants intimacy with you, and how he instructs you towards that intimacy, and the way he helps you get close to him.