The Weight of Belonging

Date: Monday, February 9, 2026

Readings: Exodus 19 | Psalm 35:15-28

You might want to watch this short video overview of Exodus (Part 2)  from the Bible Project, providing context for the next leg of our journey through the "grand narrative" of Scripture.

We like to think of “belonging as a warm hug, but in Exodus 19, belonging to God looks more like a category five hurricane. Israel arrives at the foot of Sinai, and God doesn’t just offer them a seat at the table; He offers them a transformation into a “kingdom of priests.” This is another pivot point of the grand narrative of Scripture. God is formalizing His relationship with a bunch of escaped slaves, elevating them to be the mediators of His presence to the entire world. But this elevation comes with a cost: holiness. The smoke, the thunder, and the trembling mountain aren’t just special effects; they are a frightening reminder that the Creator is not a tame lion. He is “Other” (i.e. "holy").

From a traditional theological perspective, this is the inauguration of the Theocracy, yet it points forward to the New Covenant. In the Old Testament, the boundary lines were physical, e.g. don’t touch the mountain or you’ll die. In the New Testament, through Christ, the boundary is crossed by God Himself, yet the weight of the call remains. We are still called to be a “chosen race, a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). The edgy reality here is that we often try to domesticate God, making Him a life coach or a therapist, when Exodus 19 reminds us He is the Sovereign who demands our total consecration. Psalm 35 speaks of the “malicious witnesses” and the struggle of the righteous. Even when the world stands against us, our identity isn’t found in their approval, but in the terrifying and beautiful identity given at the foot of the mountain. We don’t just follow God; we are bound to Him in a covenant that reshapes our spiritual DNA.

Devotional Prompts:

• How does the imagery of a “kingdom of priests” challenge your understanding of your role in the world today?
• Exodus 19 highlights the “otherness” of God. In what ways have you tried to domesticate God to make Him more comfortable?
• What “boundaries” exist in your life that prevent you from fully encountering the holiness of God?
• Compare the fear felt by Israel at Sinai with the kind of “boldness” we are told to have in Hebrews 4:16. How do these two concepts coexist?

Prayer: Holy and Sovereign God, who speaks in thunder and calls us into Your presence: strip away our casual assumptions of Your grace. Remind us that we are called to be Your holy possession, set apart for Your glory. May we live today as priests of Your kingdom, mediating Your love to a broken world. Amen.