It was draining… it was energizing… it was challenging …it flowed from intense business to prayerfulness, from powerful blessings in worship, in meeting many new people and hearing their stories. I had asked myself how I would manage in the demanding chaos of Assembly, how I might find the quiet space/place.
I did. Dean Drayton (Uniting Church of Australia) was the speaker. His opening address “Which God?’ began with reference to Elijah who was addressed in a new way by God: in the silence. In exploring the reality of god in our midst he exposed Numbers 20 v1-15 [Exodus 17]. The story of Moses and Aaron in leadership, the opposition of the people and quarrelling. The story too of God’s holiness. God calls them to listen as leaders and follow instructions – take staff, gather the people; ‘speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out it’s water.’ What happens is they go out and make judgment on the people- rebels. Moses and Aaron move centre stage and the drama unfolds with great dramatic effect they strike the rock, not once, but twice and sure enough water does come. The people and animals are watered. So what was the problem? It all came good. BUT, God then says ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’ (v12).
How quick in leadership do we make judgments on the people around us?
How much in anything we do to we move to the centre of attention? Furthermore, how do we over dramatise in ways that try to sensationalise?
What was called for was TRUST: you see they trusted enough that god would give water from the rock but they had to add a bit for effect. Old habits die hard. HONOUR: giving God his right place and HOLY: the way the living reality of God provides for our need.
Living the paradox is the hard road to take. Nothing is neat, tidy. Moses was called to live in that space, but grasped it as his own. I was left with probing questions from this quiet space in the midst of much else. There were the various conversations with new people, the listening to debate. I was humbled in wrestling with many matters, but I heard and saw God’s voice in new ways in various ways that provided the ‘quiet space’ in amongst the busy-ness – live the paradox!
