Face to Face With God

Our God is an Awesome God. Yet we often overlook the minute to minute miracles He does.

If we have ever witnessed anything “spectacular” in human terms, we become “miracle junkies.” We start looking with eagerness for God’s next show instead of treasuring each moment in His Presence.

Moses had witnessed many spectacular wonders of God. One day God told Moses it was time to lead his people to the Promised Land.

At first, God said He wasn’t going with them. One would think this would have been immediately concerning to Moses.

But remember Moses had grown accustomed to God revealing Himself through signs, wonders and people like his brother, Aaron (See last post).

So Moses said,
“You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people’ but You have not let me know whom You will send with me.”
Exodus 33:12

Sometimes when God provides for us through other people, we shift our focus. We mistakenly begin to look at them as our source of provision. In reality, they are simply vessels through whom God Himself is working.

Moses continued.
“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.”
Exodus 33:12-13

Now Moses was getting somewhere. The way to Eternal Life begins with our recognizing God knows us and loves us. But the center of Eternal Life is when we desire more than anything to know God and love God.

In response to Moses’ desire, The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14

This would seem the perfect beginning of a beautiful love story, but remember Moses was a human “under construction” to be the great Man of God he would be one day.

Moses recognized how much he wanted God and needed God to be with him.

Moses said,
“If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
Exodus 33:15

But then once again, Moses revealed his clay feet. Moses said,
“How will anyone know 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?”

Our God is not for show. He is not our “ace in the hole.” He is not our ticket to greatness for ourselves. He is not the opening act for us.

Our God wants a personal, intimate relationship with us. He is building His Kingdom from the inside of us. What other people see will come from The Light of that very personal relationship.

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 33:17

It is The Mercy of The Lord that sometimes He overlooks our immature thoughts and actions because He sees the real us. He knows us at our best that is yet to be revealed.

He also wants us to know He will give us what we ask for in simple faith that lines up with His Plan.

Again, it sounds like the perfect beginning. God knew Moses. Moses wanted to know God. God was going to be with Moses. But remember Moses was used to signs and wonders.

Would God’s Presence be enough for Moses? Moses wanted more. He said,
“Now show me Your Glory.”
Exodus 33:18

I would think God would have thrown up His Hands in dismay by then, but He is a God of Compassion and has True Understanding of the growing needs of those He created.

God told Moses,
“I will cause All My Goodness to pass by in front you, and I will proclaim My Name, The Lord, in your presence.”
Exodus 33:19

And He did! However, He told Moses He would not allow anyone to see His Face. He hid Moses with His Hand while His Glory passed by. Moses then saw God’s Back.

I wonder if, in that moment, Moses realized that God had earlier talked to him, Face to face.

Exodus 33:11 tells us that Moses would meet God in a tent outside the camp, “and The Lord would speak to Moses, face to face, as He speaks to a friend.”

As Moses saw God’s back, did he realize that seeing God’s Face is seeing His Glory? God had already given him that honor!

I invite you to take some time now to feel God’s Presence in you. Feel The Wonder of His Glory and worship Him!