Exodus 32:32
“Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin––; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”
Israel had committed the unpardonable sin against God by setting up the golden calf in the wilderness. Aaron took their golden earrings and necklaces and made the calf, and the people took their clothes off and danced around the golden calf to their shame. One would wonder what would lead this people to do this after God had so wondrously delivered them from Egypt and through the Red Sea.
After Moses received the ten commandments, he went down to meet the people only to see their wickedness. The next day after Moses dealt with the people, he went to the LORD to ask forgiveness. The verse above is Moses’ prayer to God. He asked God to forgive the people, and then suddenly the statement ended by a line. Many look at the “––“ in the sentence as a line, but it is more than just a line. It breaks the sentence and shows the heart of a leader who is so burdened for God to forgive those he led that he could no longer word his prayer to God. The only thing that God in His infinite knowledge could put down to show the prayer of Moses’ heart was a line. That line represents several things that every Christian should emulate.
First, the line represents the love of a leader for the follower. Moses could have agreed with God to destroy the people, but he loved them so much that he was willing to put his own eternity on the line for those whom he led. He asked God to blot his name out of the book if He would not forgive them. Christianity needs people who love others this deeply. This is a selfless Christianity that will not only change lives, but it will change a society. Churches will never change their community until they get the type of selfless Christians like Moses who deeply loves those whom they are trying to reach.
Second, the line represents the intercession of one for another. Moses couldn’t word what he felt for those for whom he was praying, so God put a line to show the power of intercessory prayer. This line is a good representation of James 5:16 which says, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” You will never see God do a great work through your life until you learn to intercede for others like Moses. Let me ask you, are you so deeply grieved for the needs of others that when you pray for them there are no words to say to God about what you feel? It is this type of intercessory prayer that makes a difference. Oh, the need for a Christianity that intercedes for others like Moses. Line Christianity is an intercessory Christianity that shakes Heaven’s doors and springs God to action. You will never see God do great works through your life to help others until you have this type of intercessory prayer.
Third, the line represents that God understands the prayer of the heart. God can understand what you are saying even when your prayer becomes so earnest that only the groanings of the heart can be heard. There will come a time in every Christian’s life when the only thing you can do is pray through a groaning heart because there are no words to express how you feel. Let me encourage you that God understands that type of prayer.
My friend, do you practice line Christianity? This is the type of Christianity that makes a difference in others and in society. If you want to be a difference-maker, you are going to have to become a line Christian.