Solitude

 February 7, 2024

In Exodus 24, when Moses went up on the mountain to hear from God, he was there for six days before God said anything. I wonder what Moses was doing for those six days? Was he feeling frustrated? Did he think he was wasting his time? Was he drumming his fingers on a rock, waiting for God to show up?

I don’t think so. Moses had been a shepherd; he knew what long periods of solitude were like. Unless we’ve experienced a lingering illness or been in prison, most of us don’t understand solitude. We want instant answers, microwave solutions to slow-cooker problems. When I was actively pastoring, people would come for counseling. Though they were feeling the heat of conflicts and sins that had been festering for a long time, they wanted immediate solutions, but life doesn’t work that way. For Moses, God wasn’t shy about speaking, but I believe was testing Moses to see if he was ready to listen. I think he does the same for us today, inviting us to come sit with him in silence till our hearts are quiet enough to hear his whisper.