The Invitation to Moses Is Also to Us
Photo: exploringslovenia.com
Parashat Vayikra, Leviticus 1:1–5:26
Mary Haller, Tikvat Israel Messianic Synagogue, Richmond VA
A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. — Lao Tzu
The invitation to draw near that opens the book of Leviticus is often referred to as a call given by the God of Israel. The invitation Moses heard is introduced with one word: Vayikra, “And he called.” This one Hebrew word takes many English words to explain and can be the core of a lifelong journey into a powerful relationship with God.
The God of Israel, the one God whose voice wafted from the tent of meeting and slipped into the heart of Moses, is the initiator of the process. The understanding Moses gained after first hearing and then responding to the call, Vayikra, can be experienced by any of us who decide to accept the invitation to draw near to God.
Let’s take a brief look back to the close of the book of Exodus. The people were at the foot of the mountain God had led them to after leaving Egypt. The tent of meeting was constructed and the presence of a Holy God fully inhabited the tabernacle. The Holy Presence was indeed the fullness of who God was, is, and will always be. At this point the story was about God.
As we turn the page in Scripture, things begin to shift.
Now Adonai called to Moses and spoke to him out of the Tent of Meeting, saying “Speak to Bnei-Israel . . .” (Lev 1:1-2a TLV)
Vayikra, the invitation that Moses heard, is in print for all of us to read. Moses responded and drew closer to God; he shared God’s words with his fellow Israelites as he was instructed. Today, like Moses and Israel, we too have the opportunity to respond to the invitation to draw near. The choice is ours, to say yes, to say no, or to simply not respond.
If we are intrigued and want to get closer it is our imperative to respond. Our response is to take the first step into a journey that may take many years, as in the philosophical quote I mentioned earlier: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Unlike a physical journey, our first step in a relationship with the God of the universe may be more like a conversation.
Moses knew God and followed God’s instruction before he clearly heard the call to draw near. Today many of us have read the Scriptures and prayed faithfully. We endeavor to follow the directions in the Torah, the Prophets, and the Good News and we delight in remembering and celebrating the goodness of God with a thankful heart.
I believe Vayikra, the invitation, and Moses’ response provide a profound picture not just for Moses and the people in his day but for every generation. God bids each of us to come closer to him. The distance between humans and God is a distance that we humans cannot possibly comprehend with human intellect alone, as Paul writes to the Corinthians: “in Messiah God was reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Cor 5:19 TLV).
We must rely on the Ruach of God to lead us, as we desire to know him. The more we desire to honestly know this God the clearer our path becomes. After many years and many more cries from the core of my soul I have peace knowing he hears me. I trust God holds me closer than I can imagine. This knowing is what I call relationship. This relationship did not just happen; it grew into being over time.
My relationship with God is best described as a garden of sorts. My physical being is the plot of land and my innermost being, that part of me that I describe as my soul or the heart of my existence, is the soil. My cries and prayers become the place in my garden for God to plant his seedlings. It is his seedlings that grow over time and bear fruit. The fruit is harvested and shared and the process repeats and repeats. Everything God has for me is what grows. God is the light and the water; he is the warmth and the coolness. It is God who encourages the maturation of the plantings. The type and health of the soil I have is known by the one who knows the intent of my very existence. The type and health of an individual’s heart or soil for establishing growth so to speak, is known only by God.
In all honesty gardening is not on my list of favorite things. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the beauty and tranquility of plants and have been known to sit quietly for long periods just contemplating the beauty surrounding me in a forest or a garden. That being said I must share the inspiration for my garden analogy.
Last week I purchased a book entitled Shrouded in Light, by Kevin Williams and Michael Guidi. My purchase was motivated by two factors. First the title, Shrouded in Light, whispered to me that God is our source of life. Second, I know a bit about one of the authors, and these men work with plants and emphasize the growth of wild shrubs in their natural habitat.
Shrubs have their own specific natural beauty; they not only grow but they can thrive in the harshest of climates as long as they are suited for the climate they are planted in. Their beauty can be admired from the dry deserts to rolling green pasture lands to the wettest of the world’s marsh lands.
The God who invited each of us to draw near to him is the God who is responsible for all that lives to take root, to grow, blossom and thrive to the fullest. We humans, like shrubs, can thrive and bring beauty and honor to our God wherever we live in this world. Our part is to respond to God’s invitation. We do this by allowing him to shroud our lives in his life-giving light that will enable us to receive all that he has for us. It is under his holy light that we come to know his peace. It is in his peace that we receive what we need to continue toward him on the path he has carved for our individual lives.
It is my hope that these words will encourage each of you to draw nearer and nearer to God as the days progress.
Shabbat Shalom!