Surprised by Grace (34): Liberating Ease
Ease isn’t a word associated with life.
The older one gets, truer.
Tangled knots.
Puzzles.
Regrets.
Hurts.
Sorry’s.
Not even at level of sin, but absolution seems still so remote.
Worse if the other parties deceased.
Like poured out water, irretrievable.
Life is so NOT easy.
Then there’s the million dollar question: what is best next?
Guidance options are plentiful; that’s precisely the headache.
Should I forgive my parents?
Do I need to emigrate?
Or relocate?
What about change of occupation?
Tougher still, is it good, beneficial, rewarding, moral, pleasing to men and God?
The most serious of all: how to secure forgiveness and eternal life?
Life is so NOT easy.
Alas! Grace is found.
At a juncture with surprising ease.
Liberating.
Inviting.
It takes some reading.
But texts are all there.
Not difficult.
Just need simple trust.
Let’s see.
Jean-Léon Gérôme: Moses on Mount Sinai [1895-1900] (Jean-Léon Gérôme, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
St Paul has a very interesting rehearsal of an episode of Moses life right after he spent days with Yahweh getting the two tablets of commandments, recorded in the Old Testament Book of Exodus, chapter 34. (Relevant excerpts are located at the bottom of this piece for ease of reference.)
And St Paul says in chapter 3 of his Second Letter to the Corinthians.
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring, but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3:12-17, NET)
Paul says Moses put a veil over his face when he’s done commanding the Israelites. And when Moses returned to converse with Yahweh, there was no need for the veil so Moses became unveiled.
That’s freedom.
Face to face with Yahweh.
Face to face with the Spirit.
Nothing in between.
Spirit blesses with freedom.
Paul is saying, in Exodus account, Moses turned towards Yahweh, no veil was needed.
Glory impinged directly.
Freedom reigned.
In Paul’s time, turning to the Lord, that is Christ, has the same effect.
The Lord is the Spirit.
There’s freedom.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3:17, NET)
Feel the relief?
From all knotty regrets, shame, debts, uncertainties, and choices.
Freedom from all encumbrances.
Because one turns towards Christ.
There would be no veil—face to face.
Nothing no hide.
No excuses useful.
No apologies unheard.
Compare with any religion, any mystery or rite, and taste the freedom each offered.
And then come back to return to Christ the Lord.
Surprising ease.
Surprising relief.
Surprisingly inviting.
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Exodus 34:29-35 (NET)
29 Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand— when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. 31 But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. 32 After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face. 34 But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded. 35 When the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with the Lord.