The Return to Relationship
The Israelites looked to Mt. Sinai as the place of the beginning of their relationship with God. It holds special significance then as the place where the relationship was sealed. It was where Elijah went after Jezebel threatened his life (1 Kings 19:2), and where Paul followed in Elijah's footsteps after being threatened with death himself for declaring Jesus as King in the synagogue at Damascus (Acts 9:23-24). In both cases, they went to Mt. Sinai out of brokenness, seeking to be renewed in their relationship with God, and to receive instruction for their next steps.
We have a life to live
Overcomers often arrive at a point of desolation, especially in the early days of their journey, in need of encouragement and direction. We can take a lesson from the journeys of Elijah and Paul. The instruction they received, separated by time as these events were, is virtually the same: return to the land of your people via Damascus and anoint the new king. For Elijah, the instruction also included anointing his successor. In Elijah's case, that meant anointing new kings for Syria and Israel, and anointing Elisha to take up his mantle (1 Kings 19:15-16). In Paul's case, it meant traveling the Damascus Road again and declaring the new King to all peoples. In both cases, the instruction received at Mt. Sinai, the seat of Israel's relationship with God, amounted to "go live the life I have set before you, in trust and faith" (my paraphrase).
Encountering relationship
Above all else, Mt. Sinai is a symbol of relationship. For those who have a relationship with God through Jesus, it reminds us of our original relationship with Him and refreshes us with new purity, commitment, hope, and enthusiasm. For those who do not have this relationship, it is a signpost to Calvary where Jesus paid the ultimate price to purchase our life, complete with all of its sorrows. At Mt. Sinai, the wayward believer's pilgrimage returns him or her to the symbolic place of covenant relationship. For the unbeliever, Calvary is the place of encounter with the One who surrendered Himself as payment for their sin, that surrender being the wellspring of freedom.
Even me, even you
When we fail ourselves and those we love, it can be hard. Relationships are damaged, we are ashamed and feeling guilty, afraid of how we have damaged the future. These are all natural and we must realize we are not the first or only. Sin is an ancient reality. And this is the answer to the age-old question - why? Why did Jesus come? Why did he die on the cross? Isiah spells it out plainly:
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isiah 53:6 (ESV)
Everyone. Me. You. Even the best person you've ever known. There is only one answer to our past, one freedom, one hope for the future, and it is found at the Cross, the point where the promised relationship of Mt. Sinai is made real.
In part, this means that our situation is not unique. That shouldn't make us feel good about what we've done. The second part, however, should bring joy. There is a relationship which heals, restores, and renews. It is found at the Cross in surrender to Jesus and we are reminded of it when we think of the encounter and covenant of Mt. Sinai.
So, your life isn't perfect. Imagine that. The question now is, where will you go next?
Shalom