Grace to See

And the LORD said unto Moses, I will

do this thing also that thou hast spoken:

for thou has found grace in my sight,

and I know thee by name.

                            Exodus 33:17 KJV 

     For four hundred years, the Israelites remained enslaved in Egypt. In their oppression, they prayed to God for deliverance, and God answered their prayers through mighty miracles and a man named Moses. I cannot imagine the rush of emotions that consumed their spirits on the long walk out of Egypt and across the dry bed of the Red Sea. Fear! Excitement! Curiosity! Longing for a better life! All of these must have been on their minds.

     Then, the desert happened; manna and quail! Complaining! Whining! Wishing to return to the familiar though painful existence of Egypt and bondage!

     But Moses remained faithful. He pitched a tent of meeting outside the camp. The LORD met with him there, “face to face as a man speaks with his friend”. (Exodus 33:11) As the LORD instructed Moses regarding his leadership of the Israelites, Moses made a bold request. “Now show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)

     Moses believed God, trusted God and obeyed God. Moses knew God! He found grace in the eyes of the LORD and boldly asked God to show him His glory. God answered with a resounding YES!

     It is easy to get lost in the daily battles of life. Health issues, family struggles, financial decisions, complaining, whining, and just plain busyness can take a heavy toll on our walk with God. It is also easy to lose oneself in the fight against evil. We can do battle with good intentions and great boldness and yet never really know our LORD.

     It takes time to know someone as Moses knew the LORD. Because Moses invested time with the LORD, he found the favor or grace of the LORD. I want that. I want to know God above all else. I want to make sure that in my zeal to accomplish the “good” things I work towards, that I do not neglect the one thing that matters most; truly knowing my God.

     In order to know God, I must spend time with Him. It cannot be five minutes a day as I rush out the door or a prayer of bless my church, bless my pastor and bless my family. In order to know God, I must study His Word and spend time with Him; not only speaking to Him but listening and waiting as He speaks to me. That is the way of friendship. That is the way I truly get to know someone. That is the way I can have a face to face, friend to friend, relationship with my God.

     It is said that Susannah Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley and seventeen other children, found time every day to pray for each of her children by name. She would sit down in her kitchen and pull her apron over her head, and the children knew not to disturb her. Beneath her apron, she anchored her life in Christ.

     I am convinced that despite the troubles of living, despite the rush to get here and there and despite the busyness of our modern era, I am really no different than Moses or Susannah Wesley. I must choose to know my God. I must choose to spend time alone with Him. I must choose to cultivate our friendship. I must choose obedience rather than rebellion, love rather than hate, and joy rather than sorrow.

     I want to know God. I want Him to be able to trust me with His plan for my life. I want others to see Jesus in me. I want His favor—grace to see His glory. What kind of relationship do you desire to have with our Heavenly Father? If you know Christ as Savior, I would suspect that like me you too desire grace to see.

 

©JP2013
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