Day 11 - Grace- Seeking God's Favor

Exodus 33:12-13. 34:5-9

PAUSE –

Take a deep breath, offer this time and your focus to the Lord with the Psalmist.

      Search me God, and know my heart;

      Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

      See if there is any offensive way in me, 

     And lead me in the way everlasting.      Psalm 139:23-24

REJOICE in God’s goodness with Psalm 34:4-6

      I sought the Lord, and he answered me, He delivered me from all my fears.

      Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame

      This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

      He saved him out of all his troubles. 

My first job as a 5th grader was delivering papers after school.  I would ride my bike downtown to the news depot with my canvas bag draped over my shoulder. After picking up my papers and sliding them comfortably into the canvas carrying bag, I would carefully ride back, balancing the extra weight, and deliver them to the doors of about 50 homes in my neighborhood. 

A couple of years later I wanted to play sports in the afternoons, so I traded in my afternoon paper delivery route to get a morning route delivering the Chicago papers. I bought a used bike with a big basket on the front, left early in the morning to the news depot, rolled those thick Chicago papers, and wrapped them with rubber bands. I then proceeded to the route about 6 blocks from my own neighborhood, to deliver papers before school.  I had reached the pinnacle in paper delivery.

Then winter hit… and snow began to fall. Balancing that heavy basket through the slush was like wrestling a python in a swamp. More than once it pulled me down into the sloppy street slush, soaking my pants, my sleeves and my gloves.  I began to wonder what in the world I had gotten myself into. 

One morning while the streets were still snow covered, I woke up early and began to get dressed and ready to deliver the papers. As I went to the door to get my bike out my dad was there with his coat on. He said, “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.” Incredulous, I said, “Really?”

He said, “Sure! Come on, let’s go.” So in the darkness of the morning, when he could have been catching up on sleep before his busy teaching day began, my dad drove me to the news depot. He waited while I rolled and rubber-banded my newspapers, and then drove me around the route so I could deliver the papers.

It wasn’t until years later that I truly understood the generosity of those early morning rides. My dad was busy.  I didn’t even think to offer to cover the gas – and he never asked.  It was my job, not his… but he heard my grumbling (I’m sure there was some grumbling), and he rescued me. He gifted me with rides on snowy days.

Read and Reflect

As Moses seeks to draw near and discover he has “found favor” with God. 

In Exodus 32 the nation of Israel has been delivered from captivity through an incredible series of miracles and powerful displays of God’s protection and favor, but the people get impatient when Moses takes too long on the mountain in the presence of God. They ask Aaron to make them a god that they can see and touch – an idol like those of the Egyptians.  You can read the tragic story of rebellion and the Golden Calf in Exodus 22.  Today we pick up the story as Moses prepares to descend the mountain to people acting out their rebellion. 

         “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are stiff-necked people.  Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.  Then I will make you into a great nation.”

         But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?... (His appeal continued, declaring all God had done to bring them to this place)… 

         Then the Lord relented and did not bring on the people the disaster he had threatened. 

Later, after a brief battle and a plague causing the death of several thousand Israelites, God instructed Moses to lead the people to take the promised land.  But their grumbling continued. These were difficult days and Moses needed reassurance from the Lord, so in Exodus 33:13 Moses pleaded for mercy.

         Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.  You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 

         If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you…  (Exodus 33:12-13a)

         Then in chapter 34 after re-chiseling the tablets with 10 Commandments the Lord comes down in a cloud and passes in front of Moses, proclaiming…

         The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…

         Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”  Exodus 34:5-9

Reread and Reflect – 

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me.  You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’  If; you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.  Remember that this nation is your people.”   Exodus 33:12-13

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord.  And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generations.”  Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.  “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us.  Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”   Exodus 34:5-9

What word/words/phrases stand out to you. What are your thoughts about Moses and his role in seeking the favor (mercy/grace) of God.

Ask - 

Dear Lord, You have said to me, ‘Lead these people,’ and that you know me by name and you have found favor with me.  I ask that you walk with me and help me to forgive the wickedness and sin of others. Amen  

Yield – 

Heavenly Father, with open hands I invite you to visit my situation with your favor. I surrender my life to you.  Give me an attitude and habits which might block the work of the Spirit. I surrender it all to you Lord.  Amen.

All to Jesus I surrender, I surrender all