compassion and mercy

Good morning brothers and sisters,
In this reading God brings Moses back onto the mountain to remake the tablets of the Law, though this time Moses has to carve the tablets. God also makes good on God's promise to let Moses see him, but only his back. Notice that God's name and character as merciful goes along with seeing him. Muslim's capture this fact well by beginning every Sura (basically a chapter) of the Qur'an with the phrase: "In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate." God is forgiving to the heart, something we learn most clearly in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

God bless,
Sam

Exodus 34:1-9

The Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you broke. 2Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to me, on the top of the mountain. 3No one shall come up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; and do not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.” 4So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the former ones; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tablets of stone.



5The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name, “The Lord.” 6The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means clearing the guilty, but visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” 8And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. 9He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”