14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen." (NIV)
What an intense section of Exodus, a chapter that deals with threatened separation and Moses' prayer. Recently reading through these verses has left me feeling refreshed; however, it has also reminded me of times when I would find myself feeling hesitant towards God and his plan for me. So often we can feel out of sync with the world and peoples lives in the world. We can feel lonely and isolated in many environments and circumstances. We find ourselves feeling doubt, calling out to God for a sign of hope, peace, and assurance. The world we live in is revolved around instant success, instant bliss, instant beauty! "Now show me your glory”. I'm not referring to 'Flash Prayers' where someone inwardly asks for the Lord's joy and a deeper awareness of his presence to rise up within every day life; which is important, but I am referring to finding ourselves seeking for a sign in the sky or a miracle before our own eyes to prove God's greatness and a means of progress. Our lives can become secluded and somewhat egocentric for such desires. Nevertheless, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23). Verses such as this one in Lamentations and the ultimate sign, assurance, and mark of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and physical resurrection are that which should give us comfort and restoration. By trusting in Jesus' death we receive LIFE; this is undoubtedly all we need. Of even greater appeal, we are guaranteed Jesus' continual intercession and the Holy Spirit's constant intercession. We are now guided into the new covenant relationship with God that the bible was expecting (God's master plan).
A recent book I have read touches on such the subject: guidance. In Guard Us, Guide Us by J.I. Packer, he said, "It is natural that spectacular signs of God's presence, purpose, and promises should abound in days when resources for inward knowledge of God and discernment of his will were less than they are for us, and it is equally natural that in view of the richer resources that we Christians have for this knowledge and discernment, outward signs should be fewer, as no longer needed in the same way".
What a true and compelling statement.
Exodus 33:14-23 is just one of those amazing encounters we come across in scripture of God's presence and glory. How spectacular! It is one that I have not read or reflected on in a while.
Equally important, this goes to show that with knowledge of biblical text, (old testament and new) we can always be reassured with how such stories are the means of fulfilling the purposes of peoples lives before the coming of Jesus' life. This also goes to show the anticipation of reading the bible. The Bible is like a mine of treasures, infinitely deep, always inviting! Another attitude when approaching God's Word, beside anticipation, is desire. Paul has touched on this in his last Blog quoting: "As a result, unless there is diligent Scripture reading at home, a knowledge of the Bible's content leaves much to be desired." With that said, there should be a need to study, but desire it! Something that is not forced, but should come naturally to those who knows the Author personally, and loves his fellowship.
May all of us go away feeling blessed and fulfilled each and every time we plug in and out of God's Word.
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