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Glimpsing Glory
sermon preached by Rev. Jessica McCrae
I love this photograph by Scott Mutter. It is called “Church
Aisle” and it is an unusual, creative image that evokes a reaction,
positive or negative, by all who see it. It was created by
superimposing two images into a single picture. One image is of a
busy New York City street, the other an image of a European
cathedral. When you looked at the image it appears that the busy
New York street, with all of its buses, cars and taxis rush up and
down the aisles of the empty, fully lit cathedral. It is a strong
statement about the impact of the world upon our faith and our
expression of our faith. For me, this piece of art reminds me that we
can not shut the world out, nor are we called to shut the world out.
Every time we enter these church doors we bring outside concerns
with us, all of the stress, politics, frenzy and ideals that bind our
society together; and we lay them at the feet of God. In return we are
strengthened and nourished to face the world that awaits us outside
these walls and share the message of good news that we have
received.
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This photograph speaks well of the impact of the world upon
our faith. But for me it also speaks loudly of the place of God in our
world, and our view of God from where we stand. Try to imagine, for
just a moment if you can, what it would be like, sitting in your car
driving along the aisle of the great cathedral. The road beneath you
is like any road; you stop at stoplights, honk at the inconsiderate
driver who takes your right of way, and look periodically in your rear
view mirror, examining where you have been and who is approaching
from behind. As you take your drive, whether it is leisurely or
purposeful, you glance every now and then at the scenery outside
your window. On either side of the street huge wooden structures
rise up. They are the pews of the cathedral, but from where you
stand they are just enormous structures, buildings of commerce
maybe, medical facilities or giant shopping malls; to you they are just
elements of the world in which you live. It is tough, from where you
stand, to see them in any other way. It is particularly difficult to see
them as part of God’s world.
Isn’t that the way it is with life? When we are in the midst of
trials, tribulations or just the stuff of everyday life, it can be difficult to
see past what is right in front of us, in order to see the bigger picture.
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When we are focused on all that is wrong in our lives, what is
stressful, difficult or even common place, it is sometimes difficult to
see the hands of God all around us. Not because we lack faith or
hope, but simply because we don’t always have the best vantage
point to see all of the love that surrounds us.
I’m sure you are feeling that today, in many ways. We don’t
always have the best vantage point right now to see the love of God
surrounding us. It has been a really hard year, and it shows no hope
of getting easier any time soon. We are burdened down by the news
of our world, by the uncertainty around us and the fears we all carry
about keeping one another safe and finding our way through this
pandemic. It can be very easy to feel distanced from God as we put
so much effort into just making it through each day. Just like this
picture, if we are on the floor of that aisle, the things right in front of
us, the traffic, the people, the noise is very obvious. But the bigger
picture, the presence of the sacred, the divine, the embrace of God
can be a little less obvious. In other words, from where we stand is
can seem much easier to see the obstacles in our path than the
presence of God surrounding us through this. It is easier to see the
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darkness than the light. It is easier to spot where God used to be,
rather than the arms of God surrounding us now.
Which is maybe why it is so easy to relate to the wilderness
journey with the Israelites. So many times in this story the challenges
the people are facing are so much more obvious to them, than the
presence of God through their journey. The story of the Israelites
wilderness journey is a story about suffering and struggle. But it is
even more, a story about how God ever so patiently reveals God’s
presence to these people in little, and not so little ways. And today,
after all that they had been through, after all that Moses had been
through, he wanted God to reveal Godself in more than just little
ways. He wanted something obvious, something undeniable. He was
hungry for reassurance. And we can relate to that.
Like us, Moses has had a tough year and when we meet him
today he is probably at his lowest, most frustrated points. The
Israelites have broken with the covenant with God by worshipping a
golden calf they constructed while Moses was busy up the mountain
with God, planning the Israelites future. God is angry with the
Israelites, the Israelites are losing faith in God and Moses is caught in
the middle; a very underpaid and overworked mediator between a
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hostile people and an angry God. Not a very enviable position to be
in. No wonder Moses lays it on the line with God and begins to speak
his mind.
He points out to God that he is at the end of his rope. Nothing
is certain, not that it ever was, but now with God upset at the people it
feels like all hope is lost. God wants him to lead the people, but how
is he to do that, how is he to be a good leader when he is feeling so
lost, so anxious, when he can’t even trust that God will continue to be
with them. The people are exhausted. They’ve seen so much pain,
so much heartache. They just want to rest and forget their troubles
for awhile. But God wants them to keep going. Toward what? What
is the future going to hold?
And will they always feel so alone and so forgotten. Because
from where Moses stands, he tells God, things aren’t looking so
great. So let me know that you love us, let me know that you forgive
us. Give me a sign that we are not forgotten.
God thought for a moment and decided that Moses’ words were
fair enough, given the circumstances. “I will do just as you ask,
Moses, because I know you and love you. I will go with you. I will
forgive my people and love them as i love you.”
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At this point things were looking up and Moses, trying to see
just how far he could push the envelope said, “Wonderful God, thank
you. And please, while you are at it, let me see your glory.”
Let me see your glory. He probably took it a little too far with
that request. But you can’t blame him. Afterall, like us Moses is just
human, and I don’t know know about you but lately there have been a
few times when I have been hungry to see the glory of God too
amidst the mess that our world is becoming. We all need a sign now
and then. Something that puts our mind at ease that God is here,
and that God will be with us as we work our way through this
predicament in which we’ve found ourselves.
God understood what Moses needed, and why he made the
request, but unfortunately, God was just not able to fully comply.
Afterall to see all of God, to see God’s face, would kill Moses, it would
just be too much. Too much love, I guess, if there can be such a
thing. Too much power, too much glory, too much to comprehend,
too … different from what we know. You would think that looking
upon the face of God would heal all ills and bring great joy. But
maybe, looking upon such pure love and joy and beauty would burst
our hearts, or break our hearts. Maybe it would shift our perspective
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so much that we could not longer live, really live in this world, and this
world is where we are meant to be right now. I don’t know. But
whatever the reason, we have to simply accept that, as humans in
this life, we do not have the proper vantage point to see God in all
God’s glory and splendor. We just don’t. But God can give us a
glimpse.
And glimpse Moses got. Sheltered in the cleft of the rock God
shielded Moses’ delicate eyes, God protected him and covered him
and held him as God had always done. When Moses eyes were
opened he saw the back of God, going on ahead, forging a path for
God’s children to follow. Moses saw enough to know, God is here.
Moses took a deep breath and continued the journey.
We are afforded glimpses of God everyday. I can’t tell you
where exactly, because they are everywhere – in the expected and
the unexpected. Your glimpses will be different from my glimpses, but
they will be there, like the glint of light flashing off a building as you
drive by, a little flash of hope, of peace, of reassurance, of love.
When you need it, ask for it, just like Moses did, pray for it, lay your
frustrations and your anxieties before God, be honest that you need
some reassurance to continue this journey, to know you aren’t alone.
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And then wait, wait for your glimpse of glory, your glimpse of God
streaking through your life, and leading the way.
Because you see, God is everywhere. And like that photo of
the cathedral, rising up around the people, somewhat oblivious on the
road, God is here, too. Surrounding us, protecting us and making
Godself known to us, a little bit at a time. Having come to us in Jesus
Christ, having chosen to walk this human road with us, God continues
to come to us in the everyday stuff of life. Even here. Even now.
Still. If you need your own reminder of that, as we all sometimes do,
follow Moses’ lead. Tell God you need a bit more courage, ask God
to let you see God’s glory, and God will focus your eyes, shift your
perspective and I pray you too will then be able to climb down from
the cleft of whatever rock you are sheltering and continue this journey
knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with us. We are
not alone.
What a great comfort, particularly in these days.
Thanks be to God.