Moses: Presence Over Promise
June 15, 2025
In our journey of faith, we often find ourselves fixated on the promises of God - the blessings, the breakthroughs, the answers to prayer. But what if there's something even greater than these promises? What if the ultimate fulfillment lies not in what God can give us, but in who He is?
This profound truth is beautifully illustrated in the life of Moses, one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. As we delve into his story, we discover a spiritual journey that challenges our modern understanding of what it means to follow God.
The story begins with Moses standing before a burning bush, encountering God for the first time. When God calls him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses asks a question that resonates deep within the human soul: "Who am I?" It's a question we all grapple with - seeking our identity, purpose, and place in the world.
But God's response is unexpected. Instead of answering Moses' question directly, He simply says, "I will be with you." In this moment, God is teaching Moses - and us - a crucial lesson. The question we should be asking isn't "Who am I?" but rather, "Who are You, God?"
As Moses' relationship with God deepens over the years, we see a remarkable transformation. In Exodus 33, God offers Moses the chance to enter the Promised Land without the rebellious Israelites. It's everything Moses has been working towards, the fulfillment of God's promise. But Moses' response is astounding: "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here."
This is a pivotal moment. Moses has discovered that there is something greater than the promise - the presence of the Promise Giver Himself. He would rather stay in the wilderness with God than enter the Promised Land without Him.
This spiritual epiphany challenges our often transactional approach to faith. We're taught that following God means our lives will improve, that faithfulness leads to blessings, that prayer changes things. While these principles often hold true, Moses' life reveals a deeper truth: when you truly know God, you begin to prefer Him over what He can give you.
Moses goes even further, making a bold request: "Now show me your glory." This isn't just asking for a beautiful moment with God; it's risking everything for a glimpse of His majesty. Moses is willing to forfeit it all - even the Promised Land - for the glory of God.
This desire for God's presence culminates in a mysterious moment on the mountain of transfiguration, where Jesus appears with Moses and Elijah. It's as if all of time and space fold in on themselves, and there is only us and God, face to face with our blessed Savior. In this moment, Moses sees the fulfillment of not just the promise for Israel, but the promise for all humanity - Jesus Christ Himself.
This profound truth is echoed in the life of Fanny Crosby, the prolific hymn writer who was blind from infancy. In her hymn "Take the World, But Give Me Jesus," she writes:
"Take the world, but give me Jesus,
In his cross my trust shall be;
Till, with clearer, brighter vision,
Face to face my Lord I see."
Fanny's perspective on her blindness is deeply moving. She said, "If I had a choice, I would choose to remain blind because when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Savior." This is someone who has lived so close to the presence of God that they have realized relationship with the Healer is greater than any healing.
These stories challenge us to reconsider our priorities in faith. Are we seeking God's gifts more than God Himself? Are we more concerned with what He can do for us than with knowing Him intimately?
The Apostle Paul captures this sentiment perfectly in 1 Corinthians 15:19: "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." Our hope in Christ isn't just for a better life now - it's for an eternity in His presence.
This truth might not make for easy evangelism. We can't promise that following Jesus will make life easier or bring material blessings. In fact, choosing to follow Christ might make life more challenging in many ways. But what we can promise is that it's worth it. The presence of Jesus, the relationship with the living God, is worth every trouble, every pain, every disappointment, and every loss.
As we reflect on these truths, we're invited to shift our focus. Instead of asking God to show us our purpose or to fulfill our desires, perhaps we should be asking, "God, show me Your glory." We're encouraged to seek His presence above all else, to prefer the Giver over the gifts.
This doesn't mean our pain and struggles are trivial. God doesn't expect us to be okay just because He will ultimately redeem all things. He wants to comfort us in our pain, to be with us in our suffering. Just as a mother soothes her crying infant, God hears our cries and comes to us in the night.
In the end, the greatest promise isn't a what - it's a Who. It's not about reaching a destination or achieving a goal. It's about knowing God, being in His presence, seeing His face. And that promise - the promise of God Himself - is available to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
So today, let's challenge ourselves to seek God's presence above all else. Let's ask to see His glory, even if it costs us everything. Because in the end, His presence is the greatest promise we could ever receive. And it's a promise that nothing - no pain, no disappointment, no circumstance - can ever take away.
This profound truth is beautifully illustrated in the life of Moses, one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. As we delve into his story, we discover a spiritual journey that challenges our modern understanding of what it means to follow God.
The story begins with Moses standing before a burning bush, encountering God for the first time. When God calls him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses asks a question that resonates deep within the human soul: "Who am I?" It's a question we all grapple with - seeking our identity, purpose, and place in the world.
But God's response is unexpected. Instead of answering Moses' question directly, He simply says, "I will be with you." In this moment, God is teaching Moses - and us - a crucial lesson. The question we should be asking isn't "Who am I?" but rather, "Who are You, God?"
As Moses' relationship with God deepens over the years, we see a remarkable transformation. In Exodus 33, God offers Moses the chance to enter the Promised Land without the rebellious Israelites. It's everything Moses has been working towards, the fulfillment of God's promise. But Moses' response is astounding: "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here."
This is a pivotal moment. Moses has discovered that there is something greater than the promise - the presence of the Promise Giver Himself. He would rather stay in the wilderness with God than enter the Promised Land without Him.
This spiritual epiphany challenges our often transactional approach to faith. We're taught that following God means our lives will improve, that faithfulness leads to blessings, that prayer changes things. While these principles often hold true, Moses' life reveals a deeper truth: when you truly know God, you begin to prefer Him over what He can give you.
Moses goes even further, making a bold request: "Now show me your glory." This isn't just asking for a beautiful moment with God; it's risking everything for a glimpse of His majesty. Moses is willing to forfeit it all - even the Promised Land - for the glory of God.
This desire for God's presence culminates in a mysterious moment on the mountain of transfiguration, where Jesus appears with Moses and Elijah. It's as if all of time and space fold in on themselves, and there is only us and God, face to face with our blessed Savior. In this moment, Moses sees the fulfillment of not just the promise for Israel, but the promise for all humanity - Jesus Christ Himself.
This profound truth is echoed in the life of Fanny Crosby, the prolific hymn writer who was blind from infancy. In her hymn "Take the World, But Give Me Jesus," she writes:
"Take the world, but give me Jesus,
In his cross my trust shall be;
Till, with clearer, brighter vision,
Face to face my Lord I see."
Fanny's perspective on her blindness is deeply moving. She said, "If I had a choice, I would choose to remain blind because when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Savior." This is someone who has lived so close to the presence of God that they have realized relationship with the Healer is greater than any healing.
These stories challenge us to reconsider our priorities in faith. Are we seeking God's gifts more than God Himself? Are we more concerned with what He can do for us than with knowing Him intimately?
The Apostle Paul captures this sentiment perfectly in 1 Corinthians 15:19: "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied." Our hope in Christ isn't just for a better life now - it's for an eternity in His presence.
This truth might not make for easy evangelism. We can't promise that following Jesus will make life easier or bring material blessings. In fact, choosing to follow Christ might make life more challenging in many ways. But what we can promise is that it's worth it. The presence of Jesus, the relationship with the living God, is worth every trouble, every pain, every disappointment, and every loss.
As we reflect on these truths, we're invited to shift our focus. Instead of asking God to show us our purpose or to fulfill our desires, perhaps we should be asking, "God, show me Your glory." We're encouraged to seek His presence above all else, to prefer the Giver over the gifts.
This doesn't mean our pain and struggles are trivial. God doesn't expect us to be okay just because He will ultimately redeem all things. He wants to comfort us in our pain, to be with us in our suffering. Just as a mother soothes her crying infant, God hears our cries and comes to us in the night.
In the end, the greatest promise isn't a what - it's a Who. It's not about reaching a destination or achieving a goal. It's about knowing God, being in His presence, seeing His face. And that promise - the promise of God Himself - is available to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ.
So today, let's challenge ourselves to seek God's presence above all else. Let's ask to see His glory, even if it costs us everything. Because in the end, His presence is the greatest promise we could ever receive. And it's a promise that nothing - no pain, no disappointment, no circumstance - can ever take away.