Advent 1 Saturday - God Stays Present To Us

Dec 3 -   Advent 1 Saturday

When you do the same things or go to the same places for a while you begin to make friends.  The same thing happens when you read the Bible over time.  One of my long time friends in the Bible is Moses.

If you look at one bit of Moses’ story in Exodus 33 you’ll read how he had a tent pitched on the edge of where everyone lived.  Moses would go there to talk to God and hear what God had to say.  Here’s part of one conversation.

One day Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”  Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.  How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”  Exodus 33:12-17

Wow!! What a moment.  Like Moses we need God’s personal presence with us if we are to go forward and make any kind of positive impact on others.  Let’s pray for that shall we?

Lord, we want to know your ways so we understand you more fully and continue to enjoy Your favor. 

With Moses we say today that:

If you don’t personally go with us, how can we go forward?  How will anyone know that we belong to You and that You are a loving and good Heavenly Father if you don’t go with us?  We agree today that it is Your presence among us that sets us apart from all other people on the earth.

We confess that too often we don’t look much different than anyone else around us but we really do want to reflect Your goodness and Your love and Your power today and each day going forward.  We need You shining in us and through us if we are to be people who can comfort and bring encouragement to so many who are pressured and discouraged and fearful during these challenging days.

God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”  So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”  Hebrews 13:5-6

Lord, during this pre-Christmas time of 2021 we want to say with confidence, “You are our helper so we will have no fear.”  We choose to face today and each day putting our hand in Your’s and trusting You to take us forward surely, safely, and in the way You know we should go.  Amen