Worship

In the book of Exodus chapter 16: 9-15, the Israelites are complaining about the lack of food in the wilderness. They long to go back to Egypt – forgetting that they had been slaves in Egypt.

It is striking how their anxiety completely distorts the memory of the recent past. Egypt was known to be a place of horrific abuse and heavy-handed oppression. It’s almost like they forgot, forgot not only about slavery, but they forgot about the One who was guiding them, the One who had parted the waters of the red sea…and who was with them even in the wilderness…

So in verse 9, we find that Aaron who is a priest, does what priests do, he invites the congregation to draw near to God – which is another way of saying, he invites them come together in worship. As they do this, the scripture says that they turned their faces towards the wilderness. If they turned their faces towards the wilderness, this means that they had to turn them away from Egypt. So they turned away from dwelling on the past. They turned away from a culture that valued production over the soul; that valued physical capabilities over common humanity.

And then, when they looked instead to the wilderness, they see not an empty deathly place as they had thought, but they see the glory of God. The “Shekinah” is the Hebrew term, and it suggests this magisterial and wondrous presence…

And beyond the glory, the Israelites find there is providence… mana.

In this simple act of worship, not only their eyes but their very hearts are turned. They see what they were not expecting to see. They see provision, beauty, glory…

Isn’t that what worship does?

Think about it. When else in life, do we stop to re-focuses our lives? Where else do we stop to remember whose we are? When else are we able to honestly name the reality of the world around us – yes, there is a lot of brokenness, a lot of hurt and pain and hunger, and wilderness – yet still say, we are here to worship because we don’t believe that suffering has the last word?

My prayer for each of you this day is a worshiping community. And whether that is in person or online, may it deepen your faith and discipleship.

Loving God, we offer to you again our entire being. In our personal and corporate worship, take our hearts, our guilt, our shame, our worries, our anxiety, our joy, our praise, our lives. And fill us with healing, meaning, hope… with mana, with the Bread of Life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.