Day 294
Exodus 33:15-16
"And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."
God was so tired of the rebellious and unbelieving attitude of the Israelites, that He threatened to withdraw His presence and send an angel to escort them to the Promised Land. He said He could not put up with them any longer. But Moses protested. He did not want to proceed without the presence of God. Moses told God that it was His presence that made a difference between them and the other people of the earth.
Moses grew up in luxury. He did not need to go to the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey, to experience abundance. He lived in the palace in Egypt, and was possibly the heir to the throne. He would not only have known no lack, but he would have had access to the best Egypt had to offer. With the help of the Hebrew slaves who built two cities for Pharaoh, Egypt was extremely rich and glorious in worldly terms. Yet, Moses voluntarily gave up the riches of Egypt for the spiritual benefit of serving God. As Moses encountered the presence of God, he found it far more attractive than material wealth. He was glad to lead the people of God to a land of milk and honey - a land where they would have no lack and could enjoy great wealth.
Nevertheless, Moses did not enjoy the trip to Canaan because of natural rewards. He was greatly blessed to have the presence of the Lord in their midst. Moses had learned to communicate with God as a friend. He could not bear the thought of going on a journey where his best friend would not go along.
Here was a man who really tasted of the goodness of the Lord - not in the sense of how he meets our natural needs, but just how sweet He is Himself. When we taste of the Lord in this way, natural things are never as important again. Perhaps the songwriter understood this when he wrote. "Take this whole world, but give me Jesus."
I will seek nothing more earnestly than being in the presence of the Lord. My aim on life's journey will not be how much I can accomplish or accumulate, but how much I motivate God to want to be with me. I will long more for Him and His presence than I do for His benefits.