Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 19:7-8 (New International Version)

⁷ So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the LORD had commanded him to speak. ⁸ The people all responded together, “We will do everything the LORD has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the LORD.

Here are the people of God at Mt Sinai. Moses has a few early chats with God and he comes to the people. Will they listen to the Lord? Will they obey? The response is quick, certain, and clear:

We will do everything the LORD has said.

Great! Now all they have to do is persevere, hang in there, keep that initial excitement going for the long term. Further reading shows that the initial excitement waned.

Initial excitement and perseverance. Some people have one; some people have the other, but few have both. I guess I am one of those persevering types of people. I don’t show much excitement for things at the beginning, but once I decide to do something I stay with it until the end.

People who become excited at the start of something give me that look. If you are like me, you what I am describing. It is that look where they want to ask, “Didn’t you hear what was said? Aren’t you excited? Why aren’t you acting like me?”

If they actually say those words aloud, I reply, “You now commit to this. Will you still be committed in 18 months?”

Silence usually follows.

I don’t divide the human race into (1) people who are initially excited and (2) people who persevere. I have, however, seen some people who lean one way and some people who lean the other. I believe that God wants us to have some of both qualities. I also believe that God understands the failings of the human condition. I am thankful that he extends His forgiveness and His grace to us to cover our  failings.