God listens. Today I’m remembering Moses and the escape from Egypt. This will be a brief telling but I think I would be terrified to see the mighty hand of God opposing an earthly leader in such a decisive display. God showed His power over many obstacles like; a stick, snake, a river turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flys, animals, health, weather, locusts, darkness, and death. I would be terrified. Then the parting of the Red Sea. Finally, after much bad behavior, the Israelites continue to reject God. Moses is on the mountain with God so the Israelites create their own god. People are like lost sheep without a shepherd. I don’t remember how long Moses was absent but He reminds God that, in past times, His people were faithful. This makes me sad as I drive past a local Hindu temple with frightening idols on the interior and exterior. Ex 20:4-5a – “You shall not make for yourself a carved image – any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them…”. The gold became a curse and God wants faithfulness not betrayal. Because of their terror, the Israelites petition Moses to keep God at bay and so God sends an angel. Think about this, God, in His chosen form, is terrifying to these weak ones. God listens. The incarnation is God’s way to present His power in a palatable form. If you have ever been on an elevator with a newborn baby there is much said by strangers about the precious little one. We love a baby. Babies are cute and manageable and the opposite of the one true God who turns water to blood and controls the universe. The Baby Jesus is the softened view of the truth of His power as Jesus lived, died, and overcame that death. Resurrection power is our desire because we don’t want to die. Death is final without the resurrection power of God. We need God to be Who He is but we don’t want to see Who He really is so a BABY comes down from Heaven. I think this is the kindness of God. We are so full of fear and God sees us. This is another reason why abortion is an abomination. Thank you, Lord, for babies and Your baby.
