As we begin in our new worship series this weekend, we’ll be reminded that God’s presence often comes in the most critical moments. This Sunday, we reflect on the story of the golden calf, where the Israelites turn away from God in their fear and impatience. Yet, instead of destruction, God responds with mercy. This moment is pivotal, revealing that even when we fall short, God’s desire is to transform us through grace.
In the story of the Exodus we listened to yesterday, the Israelites are instructed to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb as a sign of protection from the coming plague. This act of obedience and faith ensured that the angel of death would pass over their homes, sparing them from destruction. This moment in the Exodus story reveals a key aspect of God’s relationship with God’s people: God’s protection and faithfulness in times of crisis.
It’s football season and, if they could measure such things, I would imagine the number of prayers said on Sunday mornings are exponentially higher from now until the Super Bowl, certainly compared to the rest of the year. As Christians, we can and should believe in the power of prayer. And we should also note that God does take sides. But, before you go praying for the next Viking’s victory, remember that there is no evidence God plays favorites when it comes to the NFL.
I’ve been giving some thought lately to what happens after this coming election on Nov. 5. I am so eager for the narrative of a divided country to change but I’m anxious that we have become too conditioned to consider any alternative. Especially concerning is the talk of retribution for perceived wrong doings and the growing calls for turning the guardrails of democracy into “weapons.”
This Sunday our story leaps forward from Sarah & Abraham, right past their son Isaac, landing just after Isaac’s son Jacob’s life, almost near the end of Jacob’s son Joseph’s amazing life. Phew! Joseph’s story is marked by unpredictable challenges—betrayal by his brothers, enslavement, imprisonment—and yet, through it all, God was at work.