God who renews covenant after failure,
You tell Moses to cut two new tablets
like the first ones he broke in anger.
You descend in the cloud,
stand with him there,
and proclaim Your own Name
“The LORD, the LORD,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
keeping steadfast love for thousands,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
but who will by no means clear the guilty.”
Moses bows low,
pleading for You to go with a stiff-necked people,
to pardon and claim them as Your own.
And You renew the covenant
promising to do wonders never before seen,
driving out the nations ahead of them,
and commanding them to worship You alone.
You warn against making covenants with the nations,
against idolatry in any form.
You command the keeping of feasts,
the dedication of the firstborn,
and the rhythm of Sabbath rest.
When Moses comes down from the mountain,
his face is radiant from speaking with You.
He veils it before the people,
but whenever he goes in to speak with You,
he removes the veil.
Lord, let the memory of my sin
make me treasure Your mercy all the more.
Write Your words freshly on my heart
when I have shattered what You gave before.
Make me a reflection of Your glory
not to draw attention to myself,
but to show that I have been with You.
Remove whatever veil keeps me
from seeing You clearly
and from letting others see Your work in me.
Transform me,
not by my effort,
but by beholding Your glory in the face of Christ.
In the name of Jesus,
full of grace and truth,
who mediates the new covenant,
Amen.