Permanent Memories of God

Scripture: On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the Lord had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. Exodus 19:16,18-19

Observation: What a vision this was! The Lord has arrived on earth to speak to the nation of Israel, and he occupies an entire mountain. It is engulfed in smoke, and it is a thick and heavy smoke like from a kiln. There is lightning and thunder, but also trumpet blasts so loud it scares people in camp before they even go to the mountain.

As Moses explains, God has chosen to show himself if great power so the people can forever remember this moment and have it greatly impressed upon them. These are moments that must be so strong in the memory of everyone that they, in fact, exist as memory for future generations not even there. Certain acts of God are so great that the echo through history far beyond the conversations of those who were there, and far beyond even the testimony of eyewitnesses. Some exist beyond even the stories told by those who believe in God.

There are a handful of events like this in history. The flood and the parting of the sea are among them. So is the resurrection of Jesus, a moment so amazing that even people who reject all aspects of faith have often heard of the event.

Application: I have memory of how God has shown up in my life, as do many others whom I know. We can tell those stories to others as evidence of our personal faith, and I can praise the Lord from a heart filled with love for how he has shown up in my life and saved me.

However, it is something else when God shows up in a way that impacts humans - the world - forever. These moments resonate within a collective psyche. They become intertwined with our general understanding of the world. (How many people would 'generally' envision that, if an all-powerful being arrives on earth, they would do so amid dark and stormy clouds with loud noise all around? Where do they get that image from?)

One of the great proofs of God is that non-believers still have holes in their lives where God should fit. General needs for faith and meaning fit this description. But so does collective, cultural memory of how God is in the world.

Prayer: Lord, you are so great and powerful and almighty, and we know this because we sincerely know it and remember it of you. You have shown us your greatness. May we as a people more and more often turn to our collective understanding of you as a basis for understanding the world. Amen.