MAY 23, 2023
Topic: A BURNING DESIRE FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Text: Ex. 33: 1 – 23
Memory Verse: “And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friends …”Ex. 33: 11a
After Israel sinned by making a golden calf in the wilderness and Moses interceded for them, the Lord accepted Moses’ prayer but said He would send His angel to go with Israel to the Promised Land; but Moses who knew the difference between having an angel of the Lord go with them and the Lord himself go with them, insisted that the Lord go with them.
He demonstrated that he would rather stay and suffer in the wilderness with the Presence of the Lord, than go to the Promised Land with an angel. He knew the blessedness of being in the Presence of the Lord. No wonder the Lord spoke to Moses “face to face as a man speaks to his friend.”
He showed that a man with a burning desire for the Presence of the Lord will end up in the Lord’s presence.
No wonder the Lord said in Jer. 29:13 “And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” And in Prov. 8:17 he says “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me”.
Moses went to the extent of asking the Lord “show me your glory” and would have seen Him if it were possible, but the Lord said, “no man can see me and live” Ex. 33:18, 20. Instead, the Lord showed Moses His back parts and Moses remains the only man, till today, to have seen God’s back parts; all because of his delight in the Lord and His Presence.
As we hunger and thirst for the Presence of the Lord in our lives, we will build intimacy with Him, an intimacy that brings about the fulfillment of purpose in our lives.
Prayer:
O Lord, please reveal yourself to me. Help me strive for your Presence in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen