November 17– Exodus 34:1-9
November 17– Exodus 34:1-9
The Lord said to Moses, “Cut for yourself two tablets
of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that
were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be
ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present
yourself there to me on the top of the mountain. 3 No one
shall come up with you, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let
no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain.” 4 So
Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning
and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had
commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. 5 The Lord descended in the cloud and
stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 The Lord passed before him and
proclaimed, “The Lord,
the Lord, a God merciful
and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for
thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will
by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the
children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth
generation.” 8 And Moses quickly bowed his
head toward the earth and worshiped. 9 And he said,
“If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go
in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our
iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
Again, Moses intercedes
for his nation. He does as God instructs and again, he is met by God. Moses
agrees that the Israelites are indeed a stiff-necked people. Moses begs that
God does not forget these Israelites are His people and asks for continued
forgiveness of their sin.
How many times do we cry
out for forgiveness of our sins? I think of the Israelites and ponder how they
can be so challenging but then I think back over my days and how I, too,
struggle with my sin and must ask for forgiveness routinely. Do you find
yourself struggling as well? Praise God He loves us and was willing to
sacrifice His son Jesus so that we may be without sin.
Heavenly Father, as I read
these verses I can’t help but wonder why You, a righteous God, who demands
obedience, would tolerate such continual disobedience. But as I think about my own sin and continual
disobedience in my own life, I am so grateful You are not only a gracious God,
giving us what we don’t deserve, but a merciful God in that You don’t give us
what we truly deserve. How many times a
day do I do things that cause You to grieve?
How many times a day do You have to look at me through the blood of
Jesus because You can’t stand to look at me without the forgiveness that is
only available because of Jesus sacrifice?
How many times a day do I act out and not ask for Your forgiveness
because I don’t even realize what I have done?
Please forgive me Father, not only for my disobedience, but my lack of repentance
over things that hurt You. Thank You for
loving me when I am so unlovable.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
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