With God

"Then he said to Him, 'If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?" -Exodus 33.15-16

Moses' prayer continues, and he says to God, "If You don't go with us, then don't move us on from here." I'm sure Moses is anxious to get to the Promised Land. These people haven't been the easiest bunch to live with. They spend a lot of time complaining, or sinning, and I'm sure it was like traveling with a couple little kids who kept screaming in the back seat and asking "Are we there yet?"

Plus it was the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham. After centuries the people would finally be in the land that God had sworn to give to them, a land flowing with milk and honey. This is the place that God had intended for them to be, and finally they would be there. And all of this is taking place before they have been sentenced to forty years of wandering. I'm sure Moses wanted to get there fast, but he wanted to be with God more, and so his prayer was to stay put unless God was going with them.

Men, think about the places you're thinking about going. Whether it be for a new job, a better school system for your kids, or maybe downsizing to a smaller home as an empty nester. Is your prayer, "God unless You go with me, don't lead me there"? It's easy to get caught up in our plans, our hopes, and our dreams that we neglect to seek God's presence. All of these things could be good things that fall within God's will for our lives, but if He isn't present in them, it's a mistake to go.

It was God's will for the people of Israel to reach the Promised Land, but Moses didn't want to go anywhere without God. If we take a new job and God isn't there what do you think happens? Stress we can't manage, we pour more into the job than into our families, life becomes about work. If we go somewhere for the schools and God isn't there what happens? Our kids don't adjust well, maybe it's at the wrong time in life, they lose relationships that they weren't supposed to be done with yet. If we downsize a house and God isn't there what happens? We run off to Florida and live with a bunch of retired people when our wisdom and experience is needed elsewhere to raise up young men.

But if we refuse to go unless God is with us, then these problems go away. I'm not saying we won't have any problems where we end up, but we'll be in the center of God's will and He will be with us. The timing will be right, the place will be right, and everything will fall into place.

Let us never move unless God is going with us, leading us forward. Let us go with God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor