Broken Words, Fresh Starts

OT. #250  "Broken Words, Fresh Starts
March 20, 2014
Exodus 34-Part 1
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.  Exodus 34:6

LET IT GLOW

Like Moses, I, too, have broken tablets. I have broken the Ten Commandments, God's Word. Yes, Sir, I have and You know when, where, and why I did each one. Just as You saw Moses literally throw them down to the ground, at the foot of Mt. Sinai, in anger that was waxed hot, (chapter 32) so in sin I break them. You pick up the pieces of my life and forgivingly hand them to me again. To start over again with a fresh start. I know which ones I need to work on. You don't have to say a word or point them out. I know and You know.
It's a new day to start over, fresh, loving and forgiving others as Jesus did me. God will write these again upon my heart instead of  on tablets. I remember them.
Which ones have you broken? Have you broken God's Word? Forgiveness is waiting to pick them up and hand them to you for a fresh start.

What happened in chapter 34?

• Moses chiseled out two stones like the first ones, as he was instructed. (verse 1,4)
• He went up early in the morning, as God had commanded, carrying the two stones in his hands. (verse 4) [Reminds me of Abraham and Isaac carrying wood up the mountain for the burnt offering.]
• Moses returned for another 40 days with God on the mountain (verses 28; Deut. 9:18, 25).
• God came down, descended in a cloud.
• God, in the second person of the Trinity, stood there with Moses.
• He proclaimed His name-the LORD.

In verse 5, LORD, the Hebrew word is Yhovah (yeh-ho-vow'), meaning the Self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, the Lord.

Are we thankful when God gives us a second chance? When He forgives us again and again?

LET IT GROW

God, the second person of the Trinity, came down and walked before Moses, though shrouded in a glorious brightness such as He had during the transfiguration (Matt. 17:2). (Falwell)

What was Jesus proclaiming in verses 6-7?
The LORD, The LORD God is:

• merciful
• gracious,
• longsuffering,
• abundant in goodness and truth.
• keeping mercy for thousands;
• forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin;
• that by no means clears the guilty;
• visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (King James Version)
• compassionate,
• gracious,
• slow to anger,
• abounding in love and faithfulness,
• maintaining love to thousands,
• forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin;
• does not leave the guilty unpunished;
• He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation. (New International Version)

Moses learned something of God's attributes, especially His mercy and forgiveness, as well as His holiness, righteousness, and judgment.  (Falwell)

Can we thank Him enough? Can we praise Him enough?
Have you experience God's mercy and compassion?
When we do, we should be like Moses by bowing to the ground at once and worship Him. (verse 8)

LET IT GO

Whatever holds me back, let go of it and let God...

Whenever I experience God's forgiveness, bow down and worship Him.