Finding Intimacy with God Through the Journey

Parashat Va'era, Exodus 6:2-9:35

Mary Haller, Tikvat Israel, Richmond, VA

This is what Adonai says: “Let my people go, that they may serve [worship] me.” (Exodus 8:20)

Exodus: Torah's book of worship. What? You might wonder whether I know what I'm saying.

In the beginning, when Adam was created by Adonai, we can see a picture of intimacy and oneness. Adam’s breath came directly from Adonai (Gen 2:7). Adam was designed in God’s own image (Gen 1:26). Adam had an intimate connection with the Creator from the very start.

In the beginning, Adam walked in the garden with God, and they shared an intimacy of fellowship (Gen 3:8). The oneness represented is the heart of what we know as worship. This is why humans were created. To live life in praise to God: “the people I formed for myself, so they may declare my praise” (Isa 43:21).

The picture of walking in oneness included Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all who followed them, even those who today call upon the name of Messiah.

After man was expelled from the garden, this intimacy changed. Humans were no longer able to stroll side by side with their God as Adam did. The location where man dwelt changed but the design of man did not. Man still had a desire to worship but the recipient was no longer as easily accessible as when Adam dwelt in the garden. Men began to build altars, offer sacrifices, and call out for worship. Sadly not all of the altars built or sacrifices offered were made in Hashem's name.

Our creator wanted those he created to choose freely to walk at his side. We know from Scripture that Adam made a choice that led to turning from his God. He chose to disregard a God-given direction. As time passed, the more disconnected all mankind became from the intimacy of the garden. God created man to have freedom to choose where or to whom they would place their affections. The later chapters in Bereisheet tell of the Patriarchs’ struggle with the challenge and choice of where to place loyalty of service and affection

Many can easily accept the existence of God as Creator. Yet we struggle. With the gift of freedom to choose we face the age-old challenge; what is most important to us, who is most important to us, and with whom do we spend our time? Who or what is the recipient of our worshipful service?

Last week’s portion gives insight. God's people were at the Pharaoh's beck and call. In captivity, their time, energy, and abilities built up Pharaoh, in a sense giving him service, in essence giving Pharaoh worship (Exod 5:17–18). The Hebrew word for this service is avodah, which is the same word for worship.

This is what Adonai says: “Let my people go, that they may serve [worship] me.” (Exod 8:20)

The Lord instructed Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh to let the people go on a three-day journey into the desert so they could worship their God. It was God's way of removing the distractions of both the hardship of slavery and the resources that Pharaoh provided. This was giving the people an opportunity to choose to make Adonai a priority in life. This was reestablishing a choice for the people. Today we too must choose.

Like the Israelites, we too have distractions throughout our life journey. Today in our modern society there are many contenders for our affections, our time, our service. What do we value most, where do we turn for strength and comfort to get through the day? Perhaps some of us can relate to being held captive to a job, or to a boss who won’t take second place in our life. Others may experience a loss of what was once theirs at the beginning of their faith journey, a life similar to Adam’s before he disobeyed. Some initially knew the beauty and peace of being close to God and became sidetracked by life events. Initially they experienced a feeling of companionship deep in their being, similar to what Adam might have known in the early days of strolling side-by-side with God in the garden. Now they feel an emptiness accompanied by a longing to recover their initial walk of intimacy. In order to recapture lost intimacy and build a deeper bond, prioritizing quiet time in the presence of the Ruach is a must.

My personal journey began when I was taught there was an entity known as God. I was taught that there was good and bad and I needed to do and be good. The how of this way of life was what I discovered over time. When I was introduced to the Bible as a way to find out more about God, I began to read and ask questions. The more I read, the more questions I had. It took years of living day to day, investing time in school, in my profession, in my family. Living my life to become my best was my motivation. One day exhaustion overwhelmed me. I felt useless, doomed to failure.

Out of this place of doom came my cry. The voice I cried, though unrecognizable, was mine; it was birthed out of utter brokenness. The cry was simple, honest, and desperate. From the core of my being I uttered the words: “God who are you? God where are you when I need you?” Speaking these words was the last time my life was truly all about me.

Immediately my entire being was flooded with a peace I still can’t describe in words. It was this moment I began to build an intimacy with Hashem. The cry was me inviting God into my entire life. The peace I felt was God accepting my desire to live fully for him. In a moment, God became my first love, my best friend, my everything.

The oneness of intimacy in worshipful living is more than acknowledging God’s existence. God’s desire to dwell in intimacy with us has not changed since Adam. The choice is ours. Do we have space in our lives for God to be our everything? It is when we open our life to him that the oneness begins. Simply responding as Moses did in Exodus 3:4, “Hineni, here I am.”

Moses saw a burning bush and he turned from his shepherding duties to face it. As he turned, Adonai spoke: “Moses, Moses.” The response Moses gave to Adonai—“Hineni”—was what began the process of deliverance for the people from out of Pharoah’s oppressive hand. We too need to turn away from our worldly journeys and begin a new journey, walking in a manner that gives glory to Adonai as we reflect the light of his presence to the world.

It is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me. And the life I now live in the body, I live by trusting in Ben-Elohim—who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

All Scripture references are from the Tree of Life Version (TLV).