For the last while, I have been keeping track of some of the prayers in the Bible. If you are having trouble praying, or don’t know what— or how— to pray, praying some of the prayers in the bible is a good place to start. The prayers contained in the Word are sooooo good, and are even Biblical, so you have accomplished 2 spiritual disciplines all at once: praying and reading the Word.
Today’s post will focus on the prayer that Moses prayed.
One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ 13 If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”
14 The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”
15 Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. 16 How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”
17 The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”
18 Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.”
19 The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh,[c] before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. 20 But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. 22 As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” (exodus 33:12-23, NLT2)
The verse that I have thought about more than once is verse 15-16.
Here they are in a different translation:
“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?” (NIV)
God had told Moses to go; but Moses wanted a guarantee that God would also go with them, and God said His presence would be with them, then Moses comes at God the request to not let them go without His Presence; for it was the Presence of the Lord that would set this people apart from the other people in the land.
Don’t miss this: God going with His people would be the mark that God was with His people.
This is what we need more than anything else today. We need the Presence of God to go with us. This is what I need; this is what you need, this is what the Church needs, The Presence of the Lord.
How things would be different if we had the Presence of the Lord going before us. Maybe, you can make this your prayer today, that the Presence of the Lord would go with you
No comments:
Post a Comment