Slices
Prepare
What can you never get enough of? When have you felt like this about God’s presence?
Bible passage
Moses and the glory of the Lord
12 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 favour with me.” 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you. Remember that this nation is your people.’
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. 22 When 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.’
Explore
God longs to be with us. This is the core of his covenant and was a promise he renewed to generations of his people through history. It is summed up in the final vision of heaven in Revelation 21:3: ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.’ The tent of meeting being located outside the camp, separated from the people, is a terrible indictment of their sin and God’s grief at their behaviour.
For this reason, Moses takes comfort that God intends to stay with the people (v 14). This ‘with-ness’ was their unique characteristic among all other nations. So it is with us as followers of Jesus in the world today. He is not just our teacher, but our intimate friend and Lord.
Being ‘with’ God does not, however, imply familiarity. Moses’ almost reckless request to God to ‘show me your glory’ (v 18) is hedged around with health and safety warnings, since, in those times, ‘no one may see [God] and live’ (v 20).
Respond
Pray: ‘Lord, as I look at your back from the cleft in the rock, after you have passed by (vs 21–23), help me to see the trail you have left: people healed, relationships restored, forgiveness given, grace upon grace. Thank you for the glimpse. Help me to see your glory more clearly.’
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Ezekiel 16,17; Psalm 119:145–176
Pray for Scripture Union
Praise God for the fantastic commitment of a 24ll the Faith Guides and volunteer leaders of SU holiday clubs and missions who do so much to inspire young Christians, help them to deepen their faith, and to share it with their peers. (This week's prayers relate to this article in Connecting You.)
