Ordinary Time

Pause

Take a deep breath right now.

Notice one thing you see,

one thing you hear,

one thing your body is touching.

You are here in this place. God is here with you, too.

Listen

The Lord said, “I’ll make all my goodness pass in front of you, and I’ll proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord.’ I will be kind to whomever I wish to be kind, and I will have compassion to whomever I wish to be compassionate. But,” the Lord said, “you can’t see my face because no one can see me and live.” The Lord said, “Here is a place near me where you will stand beside the rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I’ll set you in a gap in the rock, and I’ll cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. Then I’ll take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face won’t be visible.”

Exodus 33:19-23

Think

I think it is interesting that Moses and God had such a close relationship, yet Moses is not able to see the face of God — if he tried, he wouldn’t live! Whoa! Instead, God hid Moses in a gap in a rock and walked past, only revealing God’s back to him.

Like Moses, we may not be able to see the literal face of God, but we can definitely see God in other ways. I see God when teenagers stand up for justice (teenagers are the BEST at that). I see God when my friend Joe helps at his local food bank. I see God when my little son asks if his baby sister is ok and gives her a hug. I see God when citizens come together and work to advocate for equality for all human beings.

Where do you “see” God?

Erin Spengeman Hutchison

Pray

God, help me to look for you and see you today. Amen.

Go

As you go, remember that God is with you and with those who do justice.

Dare to be with God, too.