Today’s Reading:
Exodus 33: 1-23
“Then he said to Him, if Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up here.” (v. 15)
In today’s passage, Moses was earnest with God in prayer and he prevailed. He demanded for the presence of God with the people. The Israelites were stubborn and stiff – necked people.
God know them better than they knew themselves. He knows what is in a man’s mind and nothing is more displeasing to Him than being stiff- necked. Even as parents and teachers, nothing in Children is more offensive than stubbornness.
The stubbornness of the Israelites provoked God to declare that He will deny them of what matters most, His presence – “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people”. (Exodus 33:3)
When the Lord calls for weeping and mourning, we must comply with the call and not only fast from pleasant bread but lay aside our ornaments. The Lord is far from the wicked. Therefore, the glory of the Lord departed from the temple when it was polluted with Sin – “Then the glory of the Lord went up from the Cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the count was fill of the brightness of the Lord’s glory”. (Ezekiel 10:4). Moses undertook to meditate between God and Israel. He went out to the tabernacle the place of treaty. And the people were eager for reconciliation with God.
The presence of god in a believers life signifies light, over which darkness can never prevail, wall of fire for protection; the manifestation of godly – righteousness, power over the kingdom of darkness; power strength, glory; boldness, courage, mercy and manifestation of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, to mention a few. If these are not manifesting in your life, you need to submit yourself to God and ask Him to please remove rebellious spirit from your life.
God has given us a ministry of reconciliation (2Cor. 5:18).
Are you involved in reconciling sinners to Jesus Christ? The Israelites worshipped in their tent doors thereby declaring plainly that they were not ashamed to publicly show respect to God and Moses as they had publicly worshipped the calf.
Like Saint Paul, we should not be ashamed of the gospel.
NATHANIEL OGUNDAYO
Prayer:
O Lord deliver me from the spirit of stubbornness, so that I will see your glory in Jesus mighty name. Amen.
That I may dwell in the presence of the Lord, all the days of my life, and behold the beauty of the Lord, in Jesus name.
Father empower your Church to shine more and more, in the darkness of the world, in Jesus name.
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