12 Moses said to God, "Look, you tell me, 'Lead this people,' but you don't let me know whom you're going to send with me. You tell me, 'I know you well and you are special to me.' 13 If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don't forget, this is your people, your responsibility." 14 God said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end." 15 Moses said, "If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now. 16 How else will it be known that you're with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we're special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?" 17 God said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name." 18 Moses said, "Please. Let me see your Glory." 19 God said, "I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I'll call out the name, God, right before you. I'll treat well whomever I want to treat well and I'll be kind to whomever I want to be kind." 20 God continued, "But you may not see my face. No one can see me and live." 21 God said, "Look, here is a place right beside me. Put yourself on this rock. 22 When my Glory passes by, I'll put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I've passed by. 23 Then I'll take my hand away and you'll see my back. But you won't see my face." (Exodus 33:12-23 The Message Version)
A very blessed and wonderful Wednesday to you and yours is my prayer.
Moses is one of the first leaders we read about in the Bible. Moses was also a good student of leadership, as we know that from his father-in-law, Moses learned delegation and in today's passage we also learn that Moses lacked patience, which is key to great leadership. Now, in defense of Moses, his congregation was unruly, headstrong, impatient, and demanding. And that sort of rubbed off on this leader. We meet Moses when he's acting out his impatience and wanting to know answers to the question his flock had been asking for most of the journey; "Are we there yet?" Moses wants answers to question that only God knows, and he's sounding almost childish in his asking. Thank God we never do this (all the time!) and at a critical point, Moses asks for something of which he already knows the answer; "Please. Let me see Your Glory." Moses knew that a fundamental rule about God is that no one sees God face-to-face without dying. If you see God, you die was the understanding. God is so holy that the human cannot take the spiritual/physical impact of God's holiness upon our eyes, our skin, and our muscles and organs. As you read this, you're probably thinking this just can't be. Yet, God grants a partial concession to Moses' request; God says He will hide the people in the cleft of a rock and God would let Moses see God's back.
What hymn do you think of when you read or hear the word cleft? I think of Rock of Ages, for in this story, we see the strength, the refuge we find in Christ Jesus, for in Jesus we can hide from those things that can otherwise kill us and find God's amazing protection. Even way back then, among the people being formed, God is showing the what-was-to-be in His Son, our Lord and Savior. The Apostle Paul shared a partial list in Romans 8 of those things that cannot separate us from Jesus' love, for Paul knew Jesus to be the cleft, the Rock of ages.
A dear friend and colleague called me and we talked about a friend of his family who is dying. She wants to know what happens when we die? She asked, "Do we just sleep or do we immediately go into the presence of God?" We tossed theological ideas back and forth, and I said, you know, the honest answer is YES. If we live, love, and trust the Lord, when we die, we die in the Lord, and whatever may come next, who cares? We have lived and we have died in the Lord, the Rock of Ages, and in Him, we need not fear anything, for in Christ Jesus we have found life, and we know that life after death, is never will never end.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, hide us all in that Rock of Ages, in Whom we need not fear anything or anyone. Help us remind others of that which Christ Jesus promised to us, so that new believers may join us in this wonderful journey of faith and life; a life without end. For those mourning the loss of dear, loved ones, send Your comfort; for those needing healing, please send Your mercy of healing; but in all things, may Your will be done. All honor and glory is Yours, Lord Jesus, for we pray in Thy name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Show people that you have been in the presence of God today!
Receive my blessings of love and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
Here's that hymn with a different twist: Mr. James Ward https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UznDZGOLTM8
