Deuteronomy 10:1-5: a reflection

1At that time the LORD said to me, “Cut two stone tablets like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood. 2I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark.” 3So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two stone tablets like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tablets in my hand. 4He wrote on the tablets, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spoke to you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. 5I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are as the LORD commanded me.

This passage recalls a moment of grace after failure. Moses had come down from the mountain with the two tablets of God's commandments, only to find Israel worshiping the golden calf; and in his anger he had broken the tablets. But God did not leave things there. He tells Moses to cut two new tablets like the first, and God himself writes on them again the words that were on the first. After the breaking, God graciously provided a second set, restoring what had been lost.

Notice God's grace in providing a second set of tablets. The first had been broken in the wake of Israel's sin; and God, rather than abandoning his people to the loss, graciously gave a fresh set, rewriting his words, granting a new beginning after the failure. He did not say that, since the first tablets were broken, his people must simply do without; he provided again, restoring what had been lost, giving a second chance.

That is a picture of God's grace after failure. Our failures can break what was good, shatter what God had given, leave us with the sense that we have ruined things beyond repair. But God is a God of second chances, who provides again after failure, restores what was broken, and grants new beginnings. He did not abandon Israel to the broken tablets; he wrote his words afresh. When you have failed, and it seems you have broken beyond repair what God had given, do not despair. God provides again; he gives second chances; he restores what failure has broken. The God who wrote the tablets a second time offers you, too, a fresh start after failure; receive his grace, and begin again.

Lord, after Israel's sin and the breaking of the first tablets, you did not abandon your people to the loss, but told Moses to cut two new tablets, and you yourself wrote your words on them again, granting a fresh start after the failure. Thank you for that picture of your grace. My failures can break what was good, shatter what you had given, leave me with the sense that I have ruined things beyond repair. But you are a God of second chances, who provides again after failure, restores what was broken, and grants new beginnings. You did not abandon Israel to the broken tablets; you wrote your words afresh. When I have failed, and it seems I have broken beyond repair what you had given, keep me from despair. You provide again; you give second chances; you restore what failure has broken. The God who wrote the tablets a second time offers me, too, a fresh start after failure; help me receive your grace, and begin again. Thank you for your grace after failure.