I have been greatly blessed, encouraged and challenged by these magnificent words from Exodus 33 and thought I’d share them with you for your encouragement and meditation. The Presence of God is my passion – for too long the Church has survived on crumbs, and the Scripture, “Where two or three gather in My Name there am I in the midst.” As a result, our expectation of encountering the Lord when we are together to worship is very low, and we really do not expect a lot to happen - and if it does then we’re often surprised. But it’s a new day! God really does want to dwell among us and reveal Himself to us every time we gather. Let us no longer settle for second best. Let us desire Him like never before!

Ponder these magnificent words from Exodus 33:13-17 with me:

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." The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Then Moses said to him, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?"

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."

I have been challenged by the Lord’s response to Moses’ request! I will do the very thing you have asked because:

I am pleased with you, and

I know you by name!

The challenge to me has been, am I pleasing the Lord? How do I do that? By having a growing faith (Hebrews 11:6). Is my faith being stretched, and am I willing to trust God and dare to believe Him for the impossible? Am I allowing my faith to grow as a result of being a man or woman who loves the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and who demonstrates to heaven my love for Jesus by my obedience to His Word (John 14:21 & 23; Joshua 1:8)?

Secondly, does the Lord know my name? Of course He does, you may say, but when He thinks of you, what does He think? “This is a man of faith, a doubter, a prayer, someone who trusts Me”? In the Old Testament times God revealed who He was by His names. For example, Jehovah Jireh – “God is my provider” was revealed to Abraham in Genesis 22:14. In the test of Abraham’s faith we remember this encounter he had with God! His name is synonymous with faith (Romans 4).When people think about you and me, I wonder what first comes to their minds? When God thinks about us, I wonder what first comes to His mind? (It’s just a thought!). We all have a reputation. The Churches in Revelation 2 & 3 all had a reputation – God knew them for who they really were. They had strengths and weaknesses like all Churches, but the point is that “all” Churches on earth have a reputation in heaven, just as we do as individuals. David was known in heaven as a man that pleased God, a man after God’s own heart! (Acts 13:22). Like Moses, David loved the Presence of God (Psalm 27:4; 84:1-5). It was the key to his life, the reason why God was able to use him. God is not interested in our ability, but our availability to Him and His Presence!

From the context I would say that the following is how we find favour with God, remembering that prior to this encounter Moses had been up on the mountain a few times in God’s Presence - so he realized the extreme importance of being a man of His Presence. He also specifically sought the favour of God on His life (32:11) and there are some great verses in the Psalms about that (5:12; 84:11; 89:17; 23:6; 8:5, etc.)

Verse 13 – Moses desires to be taught the ways of God – Psalm 103:7.

Verse 14 – the way we are taught the ways of God is by being a man or woman of His presence.

Verse 17 – God promises Moses His Presence because of two things:

1. He is pleased with Him; and

2. He knows His name (Exodus 33:13-17).

That’s how I understand gaining God’s favour – it is a deliberate pursuit of being in His Presence, loving His Word, committing to obey it, listening for His voice, and being a worshipper. It is my conviction that everything flows out of being in His Presence – it’s the fountainhead or source of all that we are and become, and consequently do for Him and others. There’s so much more to share, but that can wait for another time. Be blessed and encouraged.

Bible  Readings:  1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Ephesians 2:21-22; Acts 13:2-3; 4:13.  

Please Pray This Prayer: