I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Exodus 20:2
Have you ever lost direction while driving? It can be very frustrating, and for some can lead to angry or impatient behavior. This is because, no one enjoys driving around in circles. We humans enjoy getting to our destinations. After God liberated the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, he sent them out into the desert towards Canaan, their destination. Despite God’s faithfulness to them in that desert; providing water and manna and giving them victory over enemy tribes in the land, Israel forgot who they were and whose they were which ultimately led them to forget their directions and their ultimate destination. Like wayward children, Israel began to dawdle at the base of Mt. Sinai. There, they formed a calf out of molten gold, and they worshipped it.
Like Israel, sometimes we find ourselves in the same meandering predicament. This world is our Sinai (John 17:16); we are not there yet. We still have a long way to go towards our true destination which is heaven. Yet, like the Israelites some of us have formed idols in this place and we have settled down to worshipping these, rather than God. We have forgotten who we are and whose we are. Like Israel, instead of staying on course with a steady eye on our destination, we have chosen to dawdle at Sinai.
But here is the Good News, rather than shaming or scolding Israel, God beckons them back to himself, reminding them who they are and whose they are through the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20: 1-17). Similarly, at Lent, God beckons us back to himself. He encourages us not to dawdle at the base of our “Sinai” (world) but to press on towards our “Canaan,” our ultimate destination which is heaven and eternity with him. God reminds us how unique we are as believers through Jesus Christ: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). God also reminds us that once we had no identity, but now our identity is in him alone (1 Peter 2:10). Like a loving parent, God says, “Don’t dawdle at Sinai, keep going.” The critical question is this: “Will you listen to him and will you heed his voice?” God wants everyone to make it and he has provided a way through in his Son, Jesus Christ. It is time to fix our eyes on our destination. Do it today.
Almighty and Ever-loving Father, thank you for your endless mercy and grace. Shine your light on those parts of us that we cannot see, expose our idols, and give us the strength to abandon them. Let your word be a light unto our feet and a light unto our path, and we march onward towards our destination. Help us fix our eyes on the prize and not be distracted by the noise at “Sinai,” Amen.