The Invisibility Cloak.

Harry Potter had an invisibility cloak—and it was AWESOME! He and a friend or two could hide under the cloak and escape detection. That blanket saved Harry so many times. And wouldn’t it be FUN?! I would love to get my hands on that serape.

Unfortunately, I know of only one Invisibility Cloak, and right now it’s in use. When it comes to invisibility, God’s got dibs. Theologians argue sometimes about God’s greatest miracle—is it Creation? Parting the Red Sea? The virgin birth? The resurrection? Those are huge. But maybe the greatest miracle—because it happens EVERY DAY—is that God hides Himself.

Think about it: God is eternity’s biggest, most powerful force. He is bigger than everything: bigger, faster, stronger, louder. Yet we never see Him. He is busy, active, and working, yet we are oblivious. Those of us who seek Him catch only shadows, a wind in the trees. He hides Himself, all-day, every-day. But how do you hide Someone who is OMNIPRESENT? How big would an invisibility cloak have to be to cover GOD?


And it’s not because He is spiritual and we are physical. A Person powerful enough to speak a universe into existence is powerful enough to knock it over with a whisper. If you are not seeing God jostle your world every day, don’t you think that’s by design? God’s plan every day is to hide Himself.

But He gives us signs. He gives us His word and His Spirit. He gives enough to keep us walking by faith—without sight.  Still, skeptics will argue: “I CAN’T BELIEVE IN SOMETHING I CANNOT SEE…”

Since when do you not believe in things you cannot see? Do you believe in radio waves, TV signals, or WiFi? Do you believe in electricity? Can you see X-rays or magnetism?

Yet God’s invisibility will always be the first point raised by unbelievers: “How do I know God is real if I can’t see Him?” Jesus answered that: “The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going” John 3:8.

We cannot see wind—but we see its effects. The same is true of God. His work is all around you. Maybe rather than complain we can’t see Him, we should flip the script: what if you COULD see Him?

(Pause and imagine THAT….)

—Would God be some huge person, His shoulders a mountain on the horizon, watching you every day? Or maybe He would replace the sun, hanging in the sky, shining His glory down on everything He made? Or would He be the greatest King on the greatest throne, with golden streets curving away from the base of the throne in all directions, like rivers of crystal bringing the Water of Life to everyone?

Could you handle that? Could you live a good life with the Creator of the Universe visible at every moment? Could you relax and have fun—ever? What if God was so big, awesome, holy, and powerful, that seeing Him would stop you DEAD in your tracks—literally? Because you know what? God IS that big. He said “No man can see My face and live!”

Instead of complaining that He hides Himself, we should thank Him. The people of Israel saw a tiny display of God’s glory and were terrified: “When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning … and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance. ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen,’ they said to Moses. ‘But do not let God speak to us, or we will die’” Exodus 20:19.

Soon Moses spent so much time talking to God that each time he came to the people he had to cover his face because God’s glory—the tiny residue of it that glowed on the face of Moses—was too much for them. They were terrified: “So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him” Exodus 34: 30.

Skeptics charge God with invisibility, as though invisibility were a weakness. But God is not invisible because He is weak, or because He lacks the power to overwhelm you by ‘showing up.’ God is invisible because He is MERCIFUL. God is invisible because HE LOVES US. Because He does not want to terrify us, or smoke us to dust simply by showing up. Because that is what would happen.

You are not ready to see the face of God. The Almighty Creator of Man’s first breath? Are you kidding me? A Being so powerful, He holds the universe in His hand like a grain of sand, a Person so strong the earth is nothing to Him?

The sight of Him would be the end of you. We are mortals. Fragile as dried rose petals. If we get anywhere near the Consuming Fire of the Immortal God, we will burst into flame. Our lives are short and frail—nothing but the Mercy of God keeps us from death. Look at the constant stream of deaths around you—accidents, car wrecks, illnesses—your life is as frail as a spider web in a gentle rain. We have no capacity for immortality—the mere sight of it would kill us. Be patient. IMMORTALITY—even the sight of immortality—is FOR ANOTHER TIME.


Even Moses, who bore the glory of God on his own face, could not see God’s face. He asked and God told him, “No man can see My face and live… But there is a place where you may stand on a rock. When My glory passes by, I will hide you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed. Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back as I pass by, but My face must not be seen” Exodus 33:19-20.

He is protecting us every day, covering us with His hand as He covered Moses, hiding Himself from tiny creatures so fragile the mere sight of Him would burn them to ashes. And we have all eternity to see Him! Paul writes that when a child of God is buried, what is sown in weakness will be raised in power. We will exchange mortal flesh for immortal, the perishable for the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:42-58. Then we WILL be ready to see the greatest King on the greatest throne, with golden streets curving away from the base of His throne in all directions, like rivers of crystal bringing the Water of Life to everyone. “And the city will not need the sun or the moon, for the glory of God will illuminate it, and its lamp is the Lamb” Revelation 21:23.


Perhaps God’s greatest miracle, and one of His greatest acts of mercy, is His Invisibility Cloak.

“Yes, You are a God Who hides Himself” Isaiah 45:15.

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“But I Can’t Believe in Something I Cannot See.”

Since when do we not believe in the invisible? Do you believe in radio waves, TV signals, or WiFi? Do you believe in electricity? Can you see X-rays or magnetism?

God’s invisibility may be the first point raised by unbelievers: “How do I know God is real if I can’t see Him?”  Jesus answered that: “The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going” John 3:8.

We cannot see wind—but we see its effects.   The same is true of God. His work is all around you. Maybe rather than complain we can’t see Him, we should flip the script: what if you COULD see Him?

(Pause and imagine for a minute….)

—Would God be some huge person, His shoulders a mountain on the horizon, watching you every day?  Or maybe He would replace the sun, hanging in the sky, shining His glory down on everything He made?  Or would He be the greatest King on the greatest throne, with golden streets curving away from its base in all directions, like rivers of crystal bringing the Water of Life to everyone? 

Could you handle that? Could you live a good life with the Creator of the Universe visible at every moment? Could you relax and have fun—ever? What if God was so big, awesome, holy, and powerful, that seeing Him would stop you DEAD in your tracks—literally? Because you know what? God is that big.  He said “No man can see My face and live!”

Instead of complaining that He hides Himself, we should thank Him!  The people of Israel saw a tiny display of God’s glory and were terrified:  “When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning … and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.  ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen,’ they said to Moses.  ‘But do not let God speak to us, or we will die’”  Exodus 20:19.   

Soon Moses spent so much time talking to God that each time he came to the people he had to cover his face because God’s glory—the tiny residue of it that glowed on the face of Moses—was too much for them.  They were terrified.  “So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him” Exodus 34: 30.

Skeptics complain about God being invisible, as though invisibility were a weakness.  But God is not invisible because He is weak, or because He lacks the power to overwhelm us by ‘showing up.’  God is invisible because He is MERCIFUL.  God is invisible because HE LOVES US.  Because He does not want to terrify us, or smoke us to dust simply by showing up.  Because THAT is what would happen.  

You are not ready to see the face of God.  The Almighty Creator of Man’s first breath? Are you kidding me? A Being so powerful, He holds the universe in His hand like a grain of sand, a Person so strong the earth is nothing to Him?

The very sight of Him would be the end of you.  We are mortals.  Fragile as dried rose petals.  If we get anywhere near the Consuming Fire of the Immortal God, we will burst into flame.  Our lives short and frail—nothing but the Mercy of God keeps us from death.  Look at the death around you—accidents, car wrecks, illnesses—your life is as frail as a spider web in a gentle rain.  We have no capacity for immortality—the mere sight of it would kill us.  Be patient.  Immortality—even the sight of immortality—is for another time.

Even Moses, who bore the glory of God on his own face, could not see God’s face.  He asked and God told him, “No man can see My face and live…  But there is a place where you may stand on a rock.  When My glory passes by, I will hide you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed.  Then I will take My hand away and you will see My back as I pass by, but My face must not be seen” Exodus 33:19-20. 

He is protecting us every day, covering us with His hand as He covered Moses, hiding Himself from tiny creatures so fragile the mere sight of Him would burn them to ashes.  And we have all eternity to see Him!  There we WILL see the greatest King on the greatest throne, with golden streets curving away from the base of His throne in all directions, like rivers of crystal bringing the Water of Life to everyone. “And the city will not need the sun or the moon, for the glory of God will illuminate it, and its lamp is the Lamb” Revelation 21:23.

God, thank You for Your Merciful Invisibility. Remind us how frail we are and how deeply we depend on Your Mercy to sustain us every moment!

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The Best Prayers. Exodus 33:3.

Is there one prayer that God hopes to hear from you more than others? What is the best thing you can pray for?

Consider these prayers. Eleven times in Ps. 119, David prayed,

“Teach me your statutes…Teach me the way of your statutes…Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes… Teach me your ordinances…And teach me your statutes….”

Similarly, when God told Solomon to ask for whatever he wanted, Solomon prayed for wisdom:

“God, you have blessed me… but I am so young, …so give your servant a wise and discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong.” 1 Kings 3:7-9.

God loved Solomon’s prayer and promised to make him the wisest man who would ever live. (If God liked his prayer that much, we should pray it too!)

Moses prayed a similar prayer. This man was 80 years old. He was the best-educated man in the nation of Israel; Moses was highly regarded, even feared. We call celebrities “rock stars,” but Moses was bigger than any rock star. Only Jesus worked more amazing miracles than Moses. And the Bible says “The Lord spoke with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend.” Exodus 33:11. Moses had just spent 40 days on the mountain with God learning God’s laws for Israel. God had let Moses see His throne, and later He revealed His glory. Moses knew so many of the “secrets of God.”

Yet what did Moses pray for?

“Please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight.” Exodus 33:13.

Are we as great as Moses? If not, we should pray what he prayed, and what David and Solomon prayed.

Dear God, give us Your wisdom. Teach us Your ways. Help us to read and study Your word so we can learn. Give us Godly wisdom for decisions we face every day. Teach us Your statutes. Give us wise and discerning hearts. Teach us Your ways so we can find favor in Your sight. Help us to love Your word!

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God Loves Arts, Crafts, and Mechanical Devices.

Never think God is only interested in preachers.  Most never preach.  Does that mean we laymen are second-class citizens in God’s Kingdom? No.

“Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?’ 1 Corinthians 12:15-17.

Do you ever feel useless, an appendix in the Kingdom of God? He is your Creator.  HE made you! He loves you!  He has a PURPOSE for you!  Each time I read Exodus I am encouraged by the story of the craftsman Bezalel.  He never preached a sermon.  He never wrote a book.  He worked with his hands.  He was mechanically minded and artistically skilled, a man who could look at a problem with a building or a piece of furniture and come up with a solution.  Bezalel had a gift—and God used him to build the Tabernacle:

“The Lord has chosen Bezalel … and filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge … and he has given him the ability to TEACH others….  So Bezalel and every person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability … are to do the work just as the Lord commanded” Exodus 35:30-36:1.

Scriptures describing the design and construction of tabernacles and temples are difficult to read because today the information would be captured in surveys and blueprints.  But read the passages anyway and reflect on God’s deep passion for beautiful design and quality construction.  Look at the world around you—our Creator is an artist! He loves it when artists and craftsmen do their work with excellence!

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Aaron and Moses: Two Kinds of Leaders.

When the Israelites complained, Aaron made an idol and they partied like drunken frat boys. God told Moses:

“Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted wickedly. They have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt…’ Now leave me, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you a great nation” Exodus 32:7-10.

God says He will destroy them and start over with Moses. But Moses intercedes for the people.

“Then Moses asked Aaron, ‘What did these people do to you that YOU HAVE LED THEM into such grave sin?’  Aaron answered, ‘They said, ‘Make us a god because this Moses, we don’t know what has happened to him!’ so I said, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off,’ and they did. WHEN I THREW IT INTO THE FIRE, OUT CAME THIS CALF!’ Moses saw that AARON HAD LET THEM GET OUT OF CONTROL, resulting in WEAKNESS before their enemies.” Exodus 32:21-25.

Aaron did not stand for what was right, but let the people push him into sin. He lacked the courage integrity creates in a leader. He actively assisted in their sin—by making the idol.  Aaron was a politician—pleasing the crowd was more important to him than pleasing God.

And what is wrong with this: ‘When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf’?  PASSIVE VOICE. Aaron is not facing his guilt. He lacks EXTREME OWNERSHIP. When a true leader fails, he faces it honestly.

Aaron:

LACKS INTEGRITY—

+ does not stand for truth

+ values pleasing people more than pleasing God

+ lets people get out of control

+ lets them be weak before enemies

+ cannot own his own guilt

= COWARDICE.

Moses

HAS INTEGRITY—

+ stands for truth

+ puts God first

+ intercedes for his people

+ not interested in his own glory/being father of a great nation

+ punishes wrongdoing

= COURAGE.

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Passive Voice of Biblical Proportions.

You know what passive voice is? It’s the opposite of Jocko Willink’s “extreme ownership.” Writers and English teachers deride passive voice because it is an attempt to conceal the cause of things, such as when you say, “the lamp fell and broke,” rather than “I broke the lamp.”

In Exodus 32, Aaron employs passive voice. After Aaron listened to the people, collected thousands of pieces of gold jewelry, melted it and molded it into a golden calf, Moses asked him what happened. 

“They brought me their gold, I cast it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 32:24.

What? It just magically popped out? If you’ve ever sculpted anything, you know that’s not true. Aaron put a LOT of work into his idolatry. But he was afraid to face Moses and speak honestly about it. So he used passive, rather than active voice.

When you sin, don’t diminish it. Let’s be honest about it. Take ownership. True confession is the first step toward repentance and real change.

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Integrity is More Than Telling the Truth.

You can WORK with integrity. 

How? By doing your best, by not cutting corners.  Give it your all. 

You can also READ with integrity. 

Integrity requires not giving up until you fully understand.  That may mean reading over and over or looking things up, or asking for help.  When you read with integrity you grab the book and wrestle it to the floor, insisting it share with you all its secrets.  Think of reading as hand-to-hand combat.  Being passive—letting your eyes roll over the print one time whether you comprehend it or not—is not integrity.  Make the book surrender everything! Don’t let your eyes glaze over and keep going.  Stop!  Go back!  Figure it out.

Finally:

You can WRITE with integrity. 

How? By speaking directly.  Integrity means being straightforward.  Trim away the decorative language we use to minimize bad news.  In some contexts (not all) you must be professional and direct.  The “fluff” must go.

Writing with integrity also means NEVER using passive voice.  Example: “the ball was thrown.”  This construction lacks integrity because it fails to identify WHO threw the ball. Active voice would say, “Paul threw the ball.”  Consider this Biblical example of passive voice:

Aaron replied, … “I said, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off.’ And they gave it to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!’” Exodus 32:24

Imagine Moses: “So you threw gold into the fire and a calf magically appeared?”  It’s absurd.  But Aaron could not face what he had done.  He was ashamed and though he told the truth (sort of), his instinct to shade the truth or “spin” was so strong he blamed the fire for creating the golden calf.  He sounds ridiculous.  Passive voice usually does.

WORK with integrity by doing your best.  READ with integrity by never giving up.  WRITE with integrity by using active voice and not trying to hide failures.

God, give us the courage to act with integrity in all that we do.

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The Bible is Full of Practical, Everyday Wisdom.

College professors love theory. One favorite question is “How many angels could dance on the head of a pin?”  But when profs talk theory, students lose interest, answering “So what? What does that have to do with my life?” 

Some think the Bible is like that too: ALL THEORY, and that scripture is all deep truths about Creation, Sin, and Eternity and topics such as why we should believe in a pre-millennial, dispensationalist view of end times.

But in fact, the Bible is a practical HOW-TO Book.  There are instructions on: how to cook meat, fight battles, train children, run a business or a bank, and handle the sick, particularly those with dangerous, contagious diseases, and hundreds of other topics. 

The Bible even explains how to handle your bathroom business (could there be anything more practical?):

“You must have a place outside the camp to go and relieve yourself. And you must have a spade in your equipment, so that when you relieve yourself you can dig a hole and cover it. For the Lord your God walks through your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy….” Deuteronomy 23:13.

When God gives Moses the plans for a tabernacle (the mobile temple), He addresses an equally practical concern: underwear.

“Make linen undergarments to cover the priests’ naked bodies. They must extend from the waist to the thighs. These must be worn by Aaron and his sons whenever they enter the tent of meeting or approach the altar to minister in the sanctuary area, so that they do not incur guilt and die” Exodus 28:42-43.

If I needed convincing, this verse would be enough for me: WEAR UNDERWEAR.  Wear underwear “so you don’t incur guilt and die.”  Ha ha.

But seriously, never be deceived into thinking the Bible is all theory and nothing practical. In contrast to many books in religion or philosophy, the Bible is FILLED with practical advice for EVERY AREA of life.  You just have to take the time to read it.

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WORK. Exodus 26.

I heard an interesting conversation on DOWNTON ABBEY. The new heir, a distant cousin from the city who is not used to being waited on, talks to Lord Grantham, suggesting he does not need servants.

“Perhaps not. But would you take from a man the dignity of his work? Would you cast the cooks and the maids out into the street? Would you tell the valet and the chauffer that their contribution is no longer needed, that they have become superfluous?” (Paraphrased.)

After that, Matthew accepts the servants’ help because he understands they need the dignity of work. People need to be busy, to be challenged, and to believe what they are doing matters.

God knows our need for work and gives us important tasks. There are times when our work is essential. We ABSOLUTELY needed all the help we could get mucking out my parents’ house after the pipes burst and flooded her carpets. I am thrilled that all four of us were available and able to serve them in that way. We made a HUGE difference!

I’ve been reading about the Tabernacle in Exodus 26. The woodwork alone, using hand tools, must have taken months. God could have spoken it into existence instantly. But instead, He gives work to His people. (And work is NOT a punishment—Adam had work in the Garden BEFORE he sinned.) God is kind and generous—He gives us down time and rest, and one day in seven in which we are to do no work. But the work He provides gives us dignity, challenge, and a sense of accomplishment. For example, last night we somehow broke the hydraulic spring that hold Grandpa’s glass front door open. But I fiddled with it, found all the missing parts, and managed to fix it. Figuring it out made me feel great.

Thank God for the amazing gift of work—whether paid employment, academic work, or hobbies. God is glorified by all. Ask Him for a strong work ethic, and a sense of calling to those things He DESIGNED you to do.

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I’ve Never Seen a Hearse Pulling a U-Haul: You Can’t Take it With You.

Do you give? Are you giving to God’s kingdom the way He directs you to?

You have to start now. It’s so much easier when you are young and you have no bills and few expenses. Pray and ask God what He wants you to give.

God asked the children of Israel to give right after they left Egypt.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Tell the Israelites to take an offering for Me. You are to take an offering from everyone who is willing to give.” Exodus 25:1-2.

Are you willing to give? God will not force you. But He rewards givers so greatly, you would be foolish NOT to give. Remember, “God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Giving can be very exciting! It should not be drudgery. In ancient Israel, giving meant you had a part in building a nation. Givers donated to build temples, royal palaces, and walls to protect cities. In the early U.S., givers built hospitals, universities, and more. Those who gave were proud of that. They knew they were a part of something great, a God-sized project larger than themselves.

In the New Testament, giving meant funding missionary journeys so apostles could take the gospel all over the known world. Giving also meant helping preachers feed their families, and helping persecuted Christians secure freedom and safety. These projects were huge and important and those who gave were excited about being a part of God’s adventure.

Today we give for the same reasons: your money helps share the gospel. It pays for a dynamic, engaging church, where families can find hope and healing through counseling, Sunday school and preaching, worship music—the money you give changes lives at your home church. But of course, some of your money pays for missionaries around the world. That money saves souls. PEOPLE WILL BE IN HEAVEN BECAUSE YOU GAVE. Like the song says, in heaven people will say to you, “Jesus took the gift you gave, and that’s why I’m here today.”

But God wants you to be willing. He told Moses to “take an offering from everyone who is WILLING to give.” And centuries later, Paul wrote “God loves a CHEERFUL giver.”

Are you willing? Are you able to give with a cheerful heart? Do you believe that God knows your needs and He will take care of you? If you do, then you should have no fear in giving.

“Jesus said, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, who will not receive a HUNDRED TIMES as much now in the present age—houses, and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.’ Mark 10:28-31.

So you can give. You can give until it hurts. God will reward you, both in this life and in the life to come. And remember, this life is a tiny, tiny dot, compared to the never-ending line that is eternity. Giving is how you store up heavenly treasure—the only treasure that really matters. What you give on earth becomes a deposit in your bank account in heaven. Or another way to put it:

“You can’t take it with you, but you CAN send it on ahead.”

Dear God, give us the discipline and the courage to give to you. Help us to trust you with our lives—every moment, our hobbies, our jobs, our pay. We give our lives completely to you. Use them. Use them UP. We love you.

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