Exodus 33:18 (NIV)
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
Moses’ prayer was simple and straightforward. However, it provides a powerful insight into how we should approach God.
God’s hand had been on Moses throughout his life. He was born at a particularly dark time in Israel’s history. While they were living in Egyptian captivity, the Israelites continued to multiply and prosper.
Driven by his fear of the nation that he was keeping as slaves becoming too powerful, Pharaoh issued a disgusting decree. He told the Egyptian midwives to kill any Israelite babies who were males as soon as they were born.
However, the midwives recognized the fact that God protected the Israelites, so they didn’t do what he wanted them to do. Before Moses was ever born, God was revealing Himself as Moses’ protector.
When Moses was born, his mother was afraid of what would happen to him, so she placed him in a basket and hid him in the weeds near the river. As he floated down the river, he was found by Pharaoh’s daughter.
Once again, God’s glory was at work in Moses’ life. Instead of living a life of slavery, Moses was raised as the grandson of Pharaoh. He spent the first 40 years of his life as an adopted member of the royal family.
After killing an Egyptian slave master who abused an Israelite slave, Moses retreated into the wilderness where he spent the next 40 years of his life as a fugitive. It was there that God visited Moses in the burning bush, calling him to service.
Even though he wasn’t a perfect person, Moses experienced the goodness and the glory of God. The first chapter of his life was proof of God’s protection, and the second phase of his life culminated with a direct interaction with God. Yet, Moses wanted more.
That is what makes Moses’ plea in Exodus 33:18 so powerful. Why would a man who had seen such great things want to see God’s glory? Because he knew that there was more to God than he had ever witnessed before, and he wanted that, too.
God granted Moses’ request. In the verses that follow this one, God called Moses to the top of a mountain. There, God hid Moses in a small cave, placed His hand over the opening, and passed by.
Since it was impossible for a human to see God’s face and live, God allowed Moses to see His back as He passed by. Moses’ life was forever changed.
In fact, when he came down from the mountain, his face was glowing so brightly that he had to wear a veil over his face when it was time to interact with others. Moses asked, and God answered. That’s the promise that we have today.
It’s not uncommon for long-term relationships to end up falling into a routine. This is even true of our relationship with God. However, God wants us to continue to pursue Him in the same way that He continues to pursue us.
If Moses needed to know more about God, shouldn’t we assume that we need the same thing? If Moses refused to become content with the things he had experienced in his own life, shouldn’t we also refuse to settle for the relationship with God we already have?
Of course, we should.
While Moses told God that he wanted to see the Glory of the Lord, Paul prayed that the Ephesian Church would gain a greater knowledge of God through divine revelation.
Today, use Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians as an outline for your prayer to know God more intimately.
Pray These Verses
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NIV)
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
According to this passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Christians, knowing God more intimately is based on two things. First of all, we must be rooted and established in His love. We also must be in unity with other believers. When those things are done, we can be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Pray This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I know that You are a God of loving-kindness. Today, help me to better understand the vastness of Your love for me so I can become fully rooted and grounded in it.
Help me to view everything that I do, every situation I’m in, and every relationship I have through the lens of Your love for me and Your love for others. Father, surround me with other Godly people who are seeking the same things that I seek.
Help me to experience true unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ according to Your Word. When those things are present in my life, I know that I can truly experience Your glory.
Help me to know You fully so I can be filled to the measure of all Your fullness. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Thank God
Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to know You more intimately. Thank You for providing me with the roadmap that I can follow so I can experience Your glory just like Moses did.
Thank You for wanting to have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with me. Most of all, thank You for promising to respond when I ask for more of Your presence and power in my life. In Christ’s name, Amen.