Grace in Exodus

So, this one is going to be a little different…oh what am I saying, they all have been a little different. I hope this makes sense to you. It was meaningful to me.

Look at this word— έξοδος––it is written in Greek. I realize that some of you may be able to read it but others will have no idea what the squiggly lines mean, hang in there with me. It says—exodus. When our friend, Alex picked us up at the airport we were headed down the highway and I saw a sign that said—έξοδος. And right underneath it was the word exit. I was amazed that my Greek came back to me and I could read the word exodus in Greek (before I saw the word exit) and knew that it meant to exit.

We drive many miles in our lives and we see the signs along the road–– “Little Rock 81 miles” “Napoli 124 km” “Glasgow 24 km” “Exit”. “έξοδος”. And we follow the signs.

For most of us “Exodus” is the second book of the Bible. For others we think about the significance of people moving. Many of us think of the Israelites departure from Egypt.

I looked up “έξοδος” and again was reminded of its origin as a word—ex—“out” and hodos—“way”—“έξοδος” (exodus) is a way out. I read the road sign, I knew that it meant exit, but seeing it in the Greek and the significance for people through the centuries changed my perspective on the road that day.

We have many signs that call for us to enter and to exit not only on the road but in our lives. Places where we travel. Places where God leads us.

I hear from people a great deal that they don’t feel God’s presence in their life or that they don’t feel that God is leading them except at certain times such as when they see a beautiful sunset, or they sit quietly on the beach, or when they are with friends or when they are playing music, or in the quiet of the night or when they see the moon and the stars in the sky…

Perhaps we need to stop looking so hard for God and see that God is present; God is leading us. God is present in all of those things and even more so God is present every time we take an έξοδος off the highway or move from one village to another; God is present when we climb the wrong hill looking for the hill where Paul preached to the Athenians; God is present when we set up an idol to an unknown god; God is present when we say good bye to friends and God is present when we are called from one vocation to another.

Perhaps we all look too hard for God and God is present even in all the έξοδοι (exits) and the entrances of our lives.