Testing, Testing, Testing

Scripture Reading: Exodus 33:12-23

If we could only pray with the wisdom, heart, and love we see in this prayer of Moses! Following the rebellion of Israel in the making and worshipping of the golden calf, God threatens to not go with His people into the Promised Land. He says they can go, but His presence will not go with them.

This is a fascinating test of Moses’ true heart. He had left Midian, gone to Egypt and confronted Pharoah, brought God’s wrath on Egypt, led the people out and across the Red Sea, and struggled with them through the wilderness with the intent of bringing them into the Promised Land. Now, it was right in front of them and God was saying they could go in and He would give them what he promised. They can take the land, but he won’t go with them.

In verse 15, even after God relents and says, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest,” Moses seeks assurance and prays, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.” Wow.

Imagine something you have given your life to achieving being set right in front of you for the taking. Some job, relationship, financial goal, or personal achievement is within reach and God has promised to give it to you but God himself will not be with you in it. Would you take it? Would you refuse it unless God promised to be with you in it? That’s what Moses was saying.

Moses was saying, “Lord, this is what I have risked everything for and this is what I told all of these people we were going to receive, but I won’t step one foot into that land unless you promise to go with me.” Moses is saying that it is better to have the presence of God with you in the wilderness than to experience the absence of God in the Promised Land.

Jesus asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”

Moses was choosing to lose the whole world, if need be, to save his soul.

By God’s grace, may we know this spirit of Moses.