Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Moses said to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?" 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." Exodus 33:12-17
One of my favorite praise and worship songs through the years was a song by Sonicflood titled, "I Want To Know You." The chorus goes like this:
I want to know You
I want to hear Your voice
I want to know You more
I want to touch You
I want to see Your face
I want to know You more
As I read today’s passage from Chapter 33 of Exodus, I couldn’t help but think about this song in reference to how Moses feels toward God.
We find Moses once again in conversation with the Lord and concerned about moving forward from Mount Sinai toward Canaan without divine help. For Moses says to the Lord, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me." These are words from a man who trusts and believes that Israel will only succeed with God by their side. He has watched God deliver Israel from Egypt and the Amalekites…each time rescuing them from pending danger. He knew still much was ahead and feared what might happen if God was absent from them.
So as we see important character traits of Moses in our scriptures, the first thing we see is a heartfelt reliance on God.
Moses continues to speak to God saying, "'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'" Notice the first words…"I know you by name…" To know someone by name is to be familiar with them. There is instant recognition and acknowledgement. Moses not only felt reliance on God…but he felt a reliance on a God that he knew intimately by name. Moses loved the Lord and was obedient to His will and word. In return, God found favor with Moses.
So the second thing we see in Moses is that he knew God intimately and was in His favor.
The final portion of Moses’ statement revealed the final glance into his faith as he says to God, "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you." Moses knew God because he followed God’s commands. God instructed Moses and Moses not only listened but put God’s words into action. And Moses knew that if he were to continue to grow in his relationship with God, he would need continued teaching from the Lord. He also knew that this would happen if the Lord was pleased with him…and God was. Moses wouldn’t have known God and been in a position to want to know Him more if he wasn’t.
So Moses wasn’t satisfied with what he knew already about God. He wanted to know Him more. He wanted God to be pleased with him. He wanted to be in God’s favor.
So how did God respond to this wonderful display of faith by Moses? First, he promised only Moses that "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." But Moses once again would refuse to just think about himself. He had always represented his people before God and as we read, he continued to do so saying, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?" Notice the important shift by Moses, asking for God’s presence to go with all the people (us) vice just himself. Notice as well that He sought for God to not only be pleased with him but the people as well. Moses’ key point here was that the only way Israel could be safe would be for everyone they encountered to know God was with them. They needed to always be in God’s presence, something that would distinguish them from any other people.
God responded to this unselfish plea from Moses by blessing him and the people of Israel…the nation of His people as Moses reminded Him. Here the words of the Lord as He told Moses, "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." Note that He didn’t do it because He was please with all the people of Israel. No…Moses had earned God’s favor and that favor spilled over to the people he was leading. Through Moses, the people of Israel had hope.
So let’s look at this lesson as it applies to our lives. Ask yourselves the following questions to see how you measure up to Moses:
- Do you have a heartfelt reliance on God?
- Do you know God intimately? Do you see to know Him intimately? Do you find time to seek personally seek Him and meet with Him?
- Do you always seek to be in God’s favor? In other words, do you always seek to be obedient to all He commanded and strive to be more and more like His Son Jesus?
- Are you hungry to know God more, each and every day? Do you thirst for His word? Are you eager to obey His will? Do you long to please Him with everything you do, say or think?
Friends, we catch an important part of what God expects in us through looking at the heart of Moses. I know I feel so blessed to be partnered with God in this ministry and I pray that He is showing all of us how much we rely on Him…how much we need to know Him…how much we need to seek His favor…how much we need to live our lives in a way that pleases Him.
The best news of all is that we can achieve all this and more because he is with us. His strength is perfect…His word is perfect…His will is perfect…because He is perfect. What an awesome God we serve! Alleluia!
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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