I was reading Exodus today and came across chapter 33 where Moses in entreating the Lord to send his presence with Israel. This is just after Israel had been punished for worshipping the golden calf. God said that he would guide Israel but he would not come down into their presence because he would destroy them for being so obstinate. And as he did so many times Moses begs the Lord on behalf of the people. Here is Moses argument: "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and you people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" ~Exodus 33:15 The thing that caught my eye in this passage was Moses' statement that the distinguishing feature of Israel was not the rituals, dress, conduct, but it was the presence of the Lord. This is what made them different from the world. Move to the New Testament when Jesus states that the distinguishing mark of a disciple of Christ is that they love as Christ has loved. So the mark of ancient Israel was the presence of God. The mark of the disciple of Christ is love. And not just love, but unconditional love to friend and foe alike. We are not to love for love's sake, but it is that when we love as Christ loved (sacrificially, unconditionally) then the world sees that God is with us. And God is glorified. It's not our piety, our speech, our clothes, bumper sticker or theology that speaks. Some of these result from a relationship with God, but it is our love for others that tells the world Christ is real. And that is most convicting. I have not loved like Christ. Upon reflection, I find, as C.S Lewis did, that it is not that my passions are too strong but too weak. I settle for my half hearted efforts to appease my conscious and fulfill my self righteous attitude. I place my churchy accomplishment in a sack and pull them out when I feel I haven't done enough. And then I remember the song "Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe." And I weep not for the poor, but for myself. That I have fallen so far and then once again I come to the cross and see that Christ became a curse so that I might live. And I am thrown to the ground a weary, teary mess. Only to have my terrifying desperation of a life held in the blood stained arms of love. And it is there at the foot of the cross, ugly, wet by tears, deprived of my dignity, my foolish desires, my precious reputation that I find myself deeply loved and thoroughly forgiven. And once again I smile and my cup runneth over with joy because I the unlovable sinner have been forgiven and loved by the righteous king of kings. The Lord of hosts has taken me in and adopted me into his family and wants to use me in his plan to reconcile others, still more to himself. So I sing a gospel song today. And I praise my God who is holy and just and yet has been merciful to an extent I may never know. Praise the lord, oh my soul! For it is well, it is well with my soul.

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