Today’s scripture: Exodus 3:7-15 (NRSV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Tammy Mills):
I love the story of a little boy, in his family room, drawing a picture. His dad comes in and asks him what he is drawing. The boy replies, “God.” His dad is a bit taken aback and says, “Son how can you draw God? No one knows what God looks like.” His son answered, “They’ll know when I’m done.”
The next several days of Be Still are going to offer us some insight from scripture about who God might be. It is important to remember that none of these images of God is the complete representation of God. They are word pictures, which are meant to convey attributes of the character of God.
Theologian Brian Wren says this about the many images of God and the importance of growing our understanding of God:
“No image [of God] is adequate. To select one image and bow down to it is idolatrous. If we draw on a variety of God images, and let them balance, enrich, and clash with one another, we shall be following the instincts of biblical faith and the methods of many biblical voices. Allowing God images to clash is important, because it reminds us that we are approaching that which is beyond all images.”
God is way bigger, richer, and more complex than any word picture we can conjure up.
In our reading today God is named as the great “I Am.” I used to read this as God trying to avoid really giving a name. These days I read it more like “God is.” I hear God conveying that God is and always will be — that no matter what is happening in my life or in the world. I can count on God “to be.”
Today’s question: When you close your eyes and picture God, what do you see?
Today, let’s join together in prayer, asking God, “What do You think of my past week? What went well, or not-so-well?” Then stop, and allow the Spirit to answer.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.