Dear La Côte Church family and friends,
The lectionary readings for this coming Sunday include the story of the burning bush and God telling Moses that His name is “I am who I am”.
When you read this story (Exodus 3, verses 1 and following) and think about it, “discombobulated” hardly begins to scratch the surface of where this story leaves you … We have miraculous signs (a burning bush which isn’t consumed) … God speaking … a name which isn’t really a name (“I am”) … a seemingly impossible challenge (‘just pop over to Pharoah, the leader of the neighbouring super-power, and tell him you want his slaves’) … and the reassurance of God’s presence (“I will be with you”) …
What this reading doesn’t say is ‘Happy Rentrée! Everything is clear, everything is going to be smooth and easy this year!’.
But as we look into the fog of the future, not knowing what next year will bring us, this reading is actually very useful:
1. Despite all his troubles, Moses has time to step aside and look at God’s miracles. This year may or may not feature burning bushes for each of us, but it will feature miracles if we are able to take the time to step aside and look at them;
2. God’s name tells us something about Him, mainly by telling us something that He is not – He is not a person, He is not an entity … which means that God is not separate, not distant, not up in heaven or wherever. God simply is. The scholar Martin Buber wrote that the phrase that is most commonly translated into English as “I am who I am” should maybe be translated as “I will be present as I will be present.”
3. Despite all Moses troubles, and the seemingly impossible challenge of going to Pharoah, and despite all our troubles, and whatever seemingly impossible challenges we face, God tells us that He will be with us as He was with Moses.
I propose this resolution for our Rentrée: No matter what this year throws at us, let’s try to take the time to step aside, notice God’s miracles around us, and remember that He is not a ‘separate thing’ but that He is present with us and in us.
Fear not, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.
When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned. (from Isaiah 43)
Chris Potter
