Day 17: My Presence Will Go with You
Bible passage: Exodus 33:12–14
An Honest Conversation
Today is Monday 17th of January 2022. Welcome to Day 17 of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Today we listen in on one of the most honest prayers in the Bible.
Israel has just made the golden calf. Moses is exhausted, and he is leading a difficult people through a desert towards a land he has never seen. Exodus tells us that the Lord would speak with Moses face to face, as someone speaks with a friend (Exodus 33:11).
What Moses Asked
He Told God the Truth
Moses does not dress up his prayer. In effect he says: You have told me to lead these people, but You have not told me who will go with me. If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so that I can know You better. And remember, these are Your people (Exodus 33:12–13).
That is how friends talk. He brings God his workload, his uncertainty and his desire to know Him more.
God’s Answer
The Lord replies, “I will personally go with you, Moses.” Exodus 33:14 (NLT) And He adds a promise of rest.
God did not hand Moses a map or a five-year plan. He gave Moses Himself.
Presence Before Progress
If You Do Not Go, We Will Not Go
Moses’ next words are remarkable. If Your presence does not go with us, he says, do not send us on from here. It is Your presence that sets us apart from everyone else (Exodus 33:15–16).
Moses would sooner stay in the desert with God than enter the promised land without Him. That is the right order: His presence first, and progress second.
Rest on the Journey
The rest God promises is not waiting at the end of the road. It is found in walking with Him. David knew it too: the Lord is my shepherd, He leads me beside quiet waters and He restores my soul (Psalm 23:1–3).
Talk to God as a friend. Tell Him plainly what you are carrying and what you do not understand.
Ask for Him. Before you ask for answers, ask for His presence. Tell Him that you want Him more than what He can give.
Carry the promise. When you feel weary today, repeat it: “The Lord will personally go with me, and He will give me rest.”
Peter, quoting David, declared that God shows us the way of life and fills us with the joy of His presence (Acts 2:28).
Prayer for Today:
Father, thank You that I can speak to You as a friend. You know the load I am carrying and the road ahead of me. More than answers, I want You. Do not let me go anywhere without Your presence. Go with me today, teach me Your ways and give me Your rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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