It is evident throughout the scriptures that God wants to be known by His children deeply and intimately. Recently our youth group went on a retreat where we talked about this very thing. We discussed knowing about God versus actually knowing God.
Moses knew God. He had a personal relationship with Him, and, as a result, he was changed. In Exodus 34 Moses meets with God. Chapter 34 comes after a series of wrong behaviors by the Israelites. They questioned God’s provision (chapter 16), they built and worshiped false idols (chapter 32), and had it not been for Moses’ pleading, their behavior would have cost them their lives (chapter 33). God reveals to Moses in chapter 34 that he is a merciful, forgiving, and loving God.
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”
Following this encounter, Moses goes on to spend another 40 days and 40 nights in the presence of the Lord. When he returns to the people, something is different about him. Beginning in 34:29 we learn about Moses’ brightly shining face, a physical change from his encounter with the Lord.
Our God is the same today as He was for the Israelites when God spoke these words to Moses: he is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Our God desires that we know these truths for ourselves, seeking to know Him personally and intimately. The truth is this: if we know the Lord, we ought to be encountering Him daily. Like Moses, there should be something different about us, something that sets us apart from others who do not have a relationship with God. Our faces may not be bright like Moses was on that day, but our lives should be a light, pointing others to a relationship with God.
Let us encourage those around us to know God for themselves. Let us not settle for simply hearing stories about God and never bothering to understand or learn more about the character of God. Let us look different because we shine with the light of Christ’s love in our hearts.
