Download on iTunes
Text: Exodus 33:1-23
Without ______________, life would be a mistake.
How would you fill in this blank? I think our teenage daughter would readily borrow a quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, who said, “Without music, life would be a mistake.” My youngest daughter might say, “Without horses, life would be a mistake.” My wife and my son might say, “Without hot sauce, life would be a mistake.”
But Moses would probably say, “Without God’s presence, life would be a mistake.”
There is an expressive story behind Big Daddy Weave’s hit song Audience of One, which the band claims has a greater response live than any other song they do.
It was in the middle of a concert that, Mike Weaver, lead singer and lyricist for the band, became frustrated. It seems that Weaver felt tension between putting on a great worship concert and actually worshiping God Himself. “I felt like saying, ‘I give up!’ That’s how ‘Audience of One’ came about—from a heart motive. The desire to be worshipers ourselves. Because worship is ultimately about you and God—everything else is a byproduct.”
As Weaver constructed the tune, another thought practically blindsided him: We often call to God in distress, but we rarely cry out for His presence. That led to Weaver’s favorite verse in the song:
Longing only to know you
Seeking your face
And not only your hand.
Success Without God’s Presence is a Mistake
In Exodus 33, Moses resolved that he wasn’t going to take one step forward apart from God’s manifest presence. At this point in Israel’s passage through the wilderness, God is pretty ticked off with His chosen people. Less than forty days after making a promise to God to keep the Law, which He gave them at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites have already backslidden. They have fallen into shameful idolatry by worshiping a golden calf, which Aaron had sculpted at their urging (Exodus 32:1-6). Angered by their reveling and immorality, God threatens to wipe the entire nation out so He can replace it with a new nation from the offspring of Moses (Exodus 32:7-10). But Moses intercedes for the people and begs God of His mercy.
The Lord relents but warns that a future day of reckoning would still come for this generation (Exodus 32:11-14, 30-35). Nevertheless, God would fulfill His covenant to give Israel their Promised Land. However, He would only send His angel as a surrogate, yet withhold His manifest presence (Exodus 33:1-3).
The people mourned.
For Moses, the promise of success alone wasn’t enough. The assurance of victory, in and of itself, was meaningless. I think that a good many believers today would be content without the manifest presence of God if only they were promised success in their business, fruitfulness in their ambitions, or prosperity in their labors. But not Moses. Not for a man who knew the delight of speaking with God face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Not for a man who knew friendship with God.
Moses was convinced that without God’s presence in his life, the whole journey would be a waste, even if you did end up in a land flowing with milk and honey. Success apart from the intimacy of God’s friendship is always a mistake. That’s what drove Moses to plead with God further. He says, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15 ESV). Moses is saying, “Lord, if your presence is not with me, then I’m not going anywhere. I’d rather die here in the wilderness than go on without you. I won’t take a single step unless I’m assured you’re with me!”
Entering the Promised Land without the Lord’s presence would still be a huge accomplishment for the fame of God, yet at the expense of losing friendship with God. Moses wouldn’t accept that regardless of what it did for his résumé.
The Lord responded to Moses by saying, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17 ESV)
What a picture of true friendship with God!
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones noted:
“We may have been Christians for many years, but have we ever really longed for some person, direct knowledge and experience of God? Oh, I know, we pray for causes, we pray for the Church, we pray for missionaries, we pray for our own efforts that we organize, yes, but that is not what I am concerned about. We all ask for personal blessings, but how much do we know of this desire for God himself? That is what Moses asked for: ‘Show me thy glory. Take me yet a step nearer.’”
The Psalmist declared, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 ESV)
His presence is all we need.
As we continue on in our journey of faith, may we, in the likeness of Moses, desire intimate friendship with God above anything that we could ever accomplish for God. Think about that as you abide in Him this week.
Success without God’s presence is a mistake, even if we do end up in a land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 33)
Tweet this
In the words of Bid Daddy Weave, we echo our prayer:
To my audience of one
You are Father, and You are Son
As Your spirit flows free
Let it find within me
A heart that beats to praise You
And now just to know You more
Has become my great reward
To see Your kingdom come
And Your will be done
I only desire to be Yours
Lord, Yours alone
Amen.
For further study: John 14:16-26, Jeremiah 29:13, Psalm 145:18, Revelation 3:20
Question for Reflection and/or Family Discussion:
- How would you define friendship? How about friendship with God?
- When have your desires for God’s blessings been stronger than your desire for God Himself?
- When have you ever prayed a prayer like that of Moses, that if God’s presence didn’t go with you, you wouldn’t go? What did that look like in your life?
- What can you do this week to cultivate friendship with God over mere activity for God?