Today’s authors are Prince of Peace members Carol Swanson and Mary Jo Trapp.
Can you think of a time you felt far from God? What about a time you felt like God was far from you? –two questions from the women’s Gather magazine bible study in April. Here is how Mary Jo answered at our Rebecca Circle:
Years ago, a friend of mine was newly married and when riding with her husband in his pickup truck with a bench seat, she would sit so close to him it almost looked like she was helping him drive. One day I told her how it always made me smile when I’d see her snuggled up next to him while they rode around our small town. She had an interesting response. She said she had recently told her husband that she hopes that they always sit this close to each other. He responded, “Well, when the time comes that we don’t, remember that I’m not the one who moved.” Oh! Over the years I’ve thought of that response when thinking of my relationship with God. On those days when I’m not feeling particularly close to God, I remind myself that He is not the one who moved. He always stays close to me, I am the one who put the distance between us, and I am the one who needs to move back.
These two questions are from the Gather bible study, “God’s name, God’s promise,” a 3-part study (March-April-May). It discusses God’s name I AM in exodus and exile texts along with the I AM sayings of Jesus found in the Gospel of John.
In Exodus 3, God calls Moses, saying he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3:6); the God of his ancestors (3:13). Moses presses, asking what is God’s name, God replies I AM WHO I AM. Say I AM sent you (3:14). When I was young, seeing that in capital letters made me think maybe God was saying it in a very Omnipotent curt voice. That scared a little. But experience has shown me God is not about being all-powerful nor controlling.
The Lutheran Study Bible side note says: “In Hebrew thought, names embody the essential character of a person or god. The Hebrew root of God’s personal name “YHWH” (3:15) means “to be,” or, more accurately, “to be present” or “to encounter.” “I AM WHO I AM” may also be translated “I will be present where I will be present.” God’s name expresses both freedom and availability. The promise “I will be with you” to Moses in 3:12 provides one interpretation of God’s name, as does 33:19, where the name YHWH is announced along with the statement, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
And God is far more gracious and merciful than we can ever be. For I am convinced that neither death nor life…. will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:39).
God is present everywhere and always, whether we sense it or not. We live and move and have our being in God (Acts 17:28). Yet God invites us into a deeper relationship.
And so our worship theme for this post-Easter period: YOU’RE INVITED to go and be…
And our liturgy response: We go and be.