A wake up call

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”  ~Exodus 33:1-3

When I read these verses this morning I was sad and being transparent fearful.  The last thing I would want is for God to remove His presence from me.  The people also mourned this news and immediately repented.  But there are nuggets of God's goodness and faithfulness even in the distressing news.  

First nugget, God keeps His oaths.  He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that their descendants would have the promised land. God had been with the people day and night.  He wanted to dwell with them and for them to dwell with Him.  He wanted relationship, yet as He noted they were stiff necked, stubborn.  Yet, God keeps His promise.  He is going to provide them with an angel to go before them to drive out the people so that they could possess the land.  The people had been faithless, but God remained faithful. By no means am I saying that we should be stubborn and rebellious and expect God to bless us, but the fact remains that we do not get what we deserve.  God is gracious. His faithful character should cause us to examine ourselves and make a change where needed.  

Secondly, God is merciful.  He says He will  not go with them because he might destroy them.  I think this shows God's love.  He knew the people and He wanted them spared because He is a just God and will hold sin accountable. Yet, the removal of His presence should be a wake up call.  Nothing can substitute God, not an angel nor man.  His presence is how we move and have our being.  It is His breathe in our lungs.

Today's passage of versus makes me grateful for His promise that He will never leave nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 13:6 ; Hebrews 13:5).   I am grateful that He knows me.  He perceives my thoughts from afar and is familiar with all of my ways.  He knows what I am going to say before I even speak it.  He hems me in and lays his hand upon me.  Where can I go from His Spirit, where can I flee from His presence? (Psalm139:1-7) 

He knows me and loves me anyway.  He sent His Son to die for me.  His Son Jesus lives and  now I can live too. He lives in me.  His presence is with me.  Its up to me to abide in Him and gain strength from what He offers freely and daily.  Its up to me to not be stiff necked and to yield to His Spirit.  Its up to me to cultivate my  relationship with Him because He has given me the access to do so.  His arms are open and so are mine.

Lord, I thank You for Your word that causes me to examine myself.  I thank You for your truth and faithfulness even when I am not faithful.  I thank You for your compassion and grace and consuming love.  I thank You for being God.