Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen. ~Exodus 33:21-23

This image of God’s hand covering Moses is an awesome one, isn’t it? I’m always amazed at how these small things so clearly illustrate God’s love and deep loyalty to humankind.

God puts Moses right beside him. In the cleft between the rocks – the safe place – a place where Moses won’t be hit. And then uses nothing but his hand to cover Moses. When the danger has passed, God lifts his hand so that Moses can see his presence. So Moses knows that God was there, protecting him, in the midst of danger.

It’s a profound image in my mind. It makes me think of a small child hiding behind her parent, closing her eyes tight. Her parent loves her so much that he’ll shield her from the harm. The child won’t see her parent’s face, but will know she is safe.

For me, the beauty of God is in these little things. The tiny ways in which he loves us. The small ways in which he encourages us.

Endlessly patient.

So much love.

So deeply true.

I mean – God is huge. And powerful. And incredible. And yet he still loves us so much that he’s willing to shield us from danger. Tiny little me. And you.

It’s stories like this one in Exodus that show me the grandfatherly side of God. Hanging out on his recliner with an expression of love and happiness. So proud to call me his. And always there – waiting for me. Speaking to me gently …

Come spend time with me. Let’s just BE together. Let’s enjoy the stillness of the day.

This great God … the same one that creates from nothing … he wants nothing but to spend moments of quiet with me. He promises to protect me. To shield me from harm.

And then to show me a tiny glimpse of who God is.

It’s amazing, isn’t it?