If Looks Could Kill...

Greetings, Sisters, Brothers, and Friends of the community!

If any one out there is a little short of mosquitoes, I’d be happy to box a few million of them up and ship them out to you. Let me know!
(But I must learn to be patient, since I know that the first frost in September will usually bring an end to them. And that’s only about 3 months away…)

This past week I once again encountered a verse that has given me some trouble in the past. I think maybe I was led to it this time because I was ready for some additional learning. In Exodus 33 Moses was in the process of leading the Hebrews to the promised land, and he asked the Lord to show him God’s glory (v.18). God grants him this, but adds in verse 20, “But you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” The Lord reiterates this in verse 23 when He adds, “…and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”

Now, why would a God who I have come to know as loving and compassionate, who is merciful and forgiving, strike me dead if I happened to see His face? At least, this is the question I had on my mind until yesterday when I slowed up a bit and carefully re-read this verse (with a little help from Gregory of Nyssa).

Keep in mind the context of this message: Moses was leading a large number of people on a journey from Egypt to Israel, and he was relying a great deal on the guidance of God. God knew what He was doing, but Moses was not completely sure. Moses had a sense of where he was going, but was quite uncertain how to get there, or how to manage all these people along the way. When we need to follow someone, isn’t it true that “you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen”?

If we are looking at the face of someone, we are not following them. We may be walking backward, telling them where to go, or getting in their way. If we truly are committed to following someone, we will not usually see their face. What God was telling Moses is that if you are looking at my face, then you are not following me, and you will lose your way. You will not be living the life I have intended for you, so in that sense, you are not alive in the way you should be. When God is leading you, don’t get in his face. That means you think you know better than Him, and you can’t really live that way. You may be physically alive, but you are spiritually dead.

Jesus, too, said, “Follow me.” Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9, 16:24, 19:21 Mark 2:14, 8:34, 10:21 Luke 5:27, 9:23, 18:22 John 10:27, 12:26 (“Whoever serves me, must follow me.”)

When He is leading you, take the humble position of following, and stay out of His way.

We follow Him through our prayers, study and service to others, moment by moment.

Blessings to all!

Br. Daniel-Joseph, CTG
Guardian