“Encounter with God”

“Encounter with God”

August 30, 2020
(Minister – Rev. Caesar J. David | Union Park United Methodist Church)

Scripture Lessons:

Introduction.

Today we have a beautiful passage from Genesis that talks about Moses’ encounter with God. We’re all familiar with Moses and the Burning Bush. The word “encounter” has a lot of theological significance that goes beyond what the word denotes. The denotative meaning from the dictionary is: an unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something. It basically means ‘to run into’. And Moses, while taking care of his father-in-law’s flocks, quite literally ‘ran into’ God. And yet, this meeting, as we discover later, was more than a casual encounter because it had ramifications for
Moses’ life purpose and destiny, and in fact for the destiny of an entire nation, or nations. That is what we want to focus on as we talk a little bit about ‘Encounter with God’.

An Encounter with God is more than a distant admiration or an emotional 5 minutes in our life. It’s a ‘moment’ in our history, not just a moment of chronological time. It’s not a moment of emotional or spiritual high. It’s a life-transforming all-pervading and allpermeating experience.

Let’s see a few things that Moses learned from his Encounter with God. It tells about how God is like. When we encounter God or seek to draw closer to Him, we must know that it is the same God we meet today as Moses did that day.

1. Abundance of God

When you look carefully at the passage you will notice that Moses was not surprised that the bush was on fire. Some say that it just appeared that it was on fire. If there was fire then it’s really strange, but then many scholars tell us that in that location mountain fires, trees or bushes on fire was not such a strange phenomenon after all. What was strange, and what Moses went close to find out was why it didn’t get burned up, or consumed.

We know that, for the bush to keep burning it must have a continuous supply of fuel to keep the flames alive. That talks of the abundance of God, the unending supply of his Grace and Love. Our God is the God of abundance.

• Look at the example of Jesus providing for a crowd of more than 5000 people out of five loaves and two fish. The Bible tells us that all the people ate and were satisfied: They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. (Matthew 14:20).
• We also have the example of God’s provision of Manna in the wilderness as His people were on the way to the Promised land.
• Jesus said “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. (John 10:10). And while that can include material blessings also, those are secondary. What we’re seeking is Kingdom and His Righteousness. Matthew 6:33 says,
“Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you”.

Coming back to Moses, The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (Exodus 34:6). What else do we need?

Why is it so important to know about God’s abundance? Why is it so precious? Let’s try to understand.
When we think of the Prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), where younger son takes his share of wealth from his father and leaves home. He squanders all that wealth and then finding himself all alone and without means, remembers his fathers who he has wronged. He realizes his mistake and goes back home where he finds that his father had been waiting to welcome him with open arms with everything forgiven. We have often taken comfort from realizing that when we, like the prodigal son, repent and return to our heavenly Father, we are forgiven and welcomed.

Let me stretch the story of the prodigal son a little. What if, the prodigal son, after returning to his father’s house, stays meekly and obediently, and then after a while, for whatever reason, again fights with his father, takes his money and leaves on a second round of merry-making.

• Would you call him foolish to not have learned from his mistakes?
• Would you call him insensitive to hurt his loving father again?
• Would you call him ‘truly undeserving’ because he’s wasted even his second chance?
• Would you say that he hadn’t really repented in the first place if he made that mistake again?
• Would you say that he is a candidate for even more mercy and forgiveness?

Let’s look at ourselves. Have we perhaps done this? Have we stumbled and strayed even after we’ve tasted God’s Goodness and forgiveness? But in our stretched out ‘prodigal son’ story, let’s say that the son really realizes his mistakes, truly repents again, and comes back to his father’s house, what should the father do?

Here’s what our Heavenly Father would do: He would take you back. He would welcome you back, rejoice at your returning and forgive you again! You would bear the natural consequences of your choices, but when you want to come back to His arms, you’ll always find Him eagerly waiting! The caveat is that the repentance and remorse must be genuine. God would know if we’re trying to find loopholes to exploit His Grace!

That’s the heart of our Father God. That’s the limitless Grace and love of our abundant
God – abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. We have other examples in the
Bible like the prophet Hosea who was asked by God to marry a prostitute. Hosea married Gomer who slept with other men. Very crass imagery, but that’s about as real as it happens. God was demonstrating His love for His people although the people were unfaithful to Him (How unfaithful? Hosea 4:12 says that the people of Israel
‘prostituted’ themselves to other gods).

If you’ve made mistakes and strayed away from God a second or a third time and feeling foolish or doubtful if you deserve God’s love, have no worry, if you’re really sorry and repenting of your sins, God’s Grace is abundant. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” God really loves you!

2. A communicating God

That brings us to a second aspect of this encounter that we must appreciate. God called out to Moses by name. God calls out to you and me today. We may not be able to hear it above the din that is around us.

We can be sure that our God is not a concept or an academic construct. Our God is a Personal God who watches over us, cares for us, and longs for fellowship with us.
When we pray to Him, we can be sure that God listens, understands and answers.

3. Simple but profound

Moses was doing his business of grazing the flock on an ordinary day in an ordinary way. This encounter of Moses with God completely changed him and his life. What seemed like a simple encounter and a chance meeting had such a profound impact on all nations and history. We don’t often pay attention to the little, simple and ordinary things in life because we don’t expect to find anything significant in them. But it is possible that the little moments of quietness, simple thoughts that compel little actions, the simple plans made by sincere minds, all these may glorify God. Not every revival begins in a dramatic way. Small changes, little acts of love, small beginnings, small dreams, small, unsteady steps, all these don’t seem like much but can all have a big impact. We must learn to recognize God’s Hand in our day-to-day affairs and acknowledge the little miracles that surround us.

One of my favorite poems is William Blake’s “Auguries of innocence”. I like the way he starts by drawing attention to the profound in the seemingly simple:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour…

And it continues.

Conclusion.

Here are some questions I want to leave with you –

• Where might you encounter (or have encountered) God? It could be an unlikely place.
• Do you realize His abundance of love and faithfulness?
• Does that fill you with joy and hope for yourself and your loved ones?
• Do we take the time to talk to Him and also listen to what He has to say?
• Moses was used by God to free His people from slavery in Egypt. Can we make ourselves available to be used by God to liberate people from slavery to fears, defeat and hopelessness.

Prayer.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Love, forgiveness, Grace and restoration. Make us eager to heed your voice and to walk in obedience to your Will and plan for our lives. Help us to see and acknowledge your Greatness in everything so that we may honor you in everything.
In Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.