I’ve been doing my quiet time out of Exodus lately. Moses is a leader I can learn a lot from.
Exodus 33:15 “Then Moses said to him, ‘If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
God promised Moses he would send his angel before them and guide them to their God-given destination. This is what Moses has been waiting for. This is a win. A huge win. He’s assuring Moses success, but Moses doesn’t want success. He wants God.
When I read this I felt like I was getting hit by a mac truck! Far too often as a leader I make success my God. I make success the destination. I’m willing to make a lot of sacrifices, even some unhealthy ones, if it means achieving success.We’ve all sacrificed things for….
larger church attendance
more money
nicer car
corner office
bigger title
noticeable popularity
Moses reminds us that no amount of success, plans, or dreams are worth it if it means less of God’s presence in your life.
Just a few verses before in verse 11 it says “The Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks to a friend.” I think Moses had grown so accustomed to God’s presence that it became the most cherished and prized thing in his life. He couldn’t imagine going a moment without it.
Can I be honest? I’m not there… but I want to be. I want to get to that place. I want to get to the place where I want God and His presence in my life more than anything this world has to offer.
How would you feel if God promised you success and victory but without His presence? Have you experienced God’s presence so consistently you can’t live without it?
If God promised me success and victory without His presence I’d wonder who this being was and what he did with my God! Heaven, after everything is all reconciled back to Him, is going to be about His people basking in His presence…it blows my little mind away.
There have been times in my life that i’ve felt like i’ve been traveling along in God’s big lap, that every day He had me safely tucked away and i was in a constant state of communication with Him throughout my day. When i’m not there, i’m lost as can be, and it takes me a while to regroup and realize what i did to remove myself from Him. Usually it’s getting back in His word and spending time just talking to Him that takes me back to His feet.
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to be completely honest, it would be hard to turn down because I’m in the same boat as you are Pete – not there yet, but wanting to be there so badly. I have gotten to the point where I believe God knows what is best for me better than what I “know” is best for me and therefore if I had to all of a sudden stop having His guidance, I think I’d fail miserably – great thing to meditate on … His presence was so feared at one time and now we just take complete advantage of it. thanks for the post
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@ronnie, thanks for your honesty. Good to know I’m not the only one that struggles with this!
The absence of the presense of Gof is HELL!
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Let me reprase that…
The absence of the presence of GOD is HELL!
sherri’s last blog post..I’m not Catholic but…
reprase= rephrase, for those of you without the gift of interpretation!
sherri’s last blog post..I’m not Catholic but…
I have never commented on one of your blog posts before but wanted to today since my Bible study has been completing Beth Moore’s study on the tabernacle and the book of Exodus. When we studied this part of the Scripture this was difficult for me as well and then I realized that the success and victory that I hope will only be achieved BECAUSE of His presence in my life. One would not work without the other. A while back you wrote about fear and dealing with fear. This is something that I also deal with and am constantly laying before the Lord. I CANNOT imagine trying to deal with that fear without the presence of the Lord in my life.
wow! thanks for that. i remember being told, we are doing this stuff because we want you to be successful, and i thought to myself, i don’t care about being successful, i care about being faithful to what God has called me to do. thanks for giving me the prayer for my new place of service. i’m praying that His presence ALWAYS goes before me.
you rock as usual Pete.
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Wow – such a great post, Pete. I’m not there yet, but I want to be!
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That is a cool passage that you are referring to. It has so much in it. Moses has a shadow through all this stuff and hes a man named Joshua. He was the only one that would go with Moses to the tent that was outside of camp where Moses met with God. And after Moses would leave the tent, Joshua would hang around in that place where God had been. Joshua learned in that time that Moses wasn’t a great leader because of Moses – but because of God. When we have influence in someone’s life it should be to point them to God and not to ourselves.
Its not long after that section that we see where Moses wears a veil so that the people around him would not see God’s glory fade from his face. The day-to-day details of life in and around the people caused the Shine to fade from him. Don’t we have those moments where we feel God so close and intimate that we are sure people have to be able to see Him just bubbling up out of us? What happens to that ‘experience’? Why do we lose that intimacy? And maybe more importantly, do we care that other people see our ‘excitement’ or ‘verve’ for God wane?
Great Stuff!
Got me on this one – I so want more of God’s presence – need to get out of His way!!!
My recent challenge has been to pray “I want to be changed more than I want to be comfortable.” Honestly, I want to be comfortable. Success is comfort to me. I am growing, though, and my desire to see God change every area of my life is deepening.
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I often struggle with the question of knowing God’s presence or not. I repeatedly hear the need to be born again, refined by fire or to walk in darkness to truly have Him or know Him.
I don’t know that I have done any of the above, but honestly can say I don’t think I’ve ever known life without my Lord and Savior. I’ve had my moments of sin and rebellion, but He was always with me, by my side. So –
If I was offered those thing without his presence, no – I couldn’t take them because I feel so blessed to have had him by my side for as long as I can remember.
Good topic – Good study!
~Kate
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Tony York, thanks for this statement:
“Joshua learned in that time that Moses wasn’t a great leader because of Moses – but because of God. When we have influence in someone’s life it should be to point them to God and not to ourselves.”
That resonates with me. It is my desire to constantly pour Jesus into every relationship/situation but sometimes, I must admit, I love taking the praise. This is my prayer for my own life, that God will get the Glory for EVERYTHING and that others will see God in my influence and not myself.
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Great post Pete. I think we all struggle with that! I wish I could honestly say that I don’t care about being successful. Not there yet. But, I DO know that success without God’s presence is scary. I’ve seen first-hand what it can do to people’s lives, and it’s not usually good!! It can actually be destructive. So I continue to pray for an acute awareness of God’s presence and guidance.
I don’t think God gives a rat’s backside about success and victory as our world tends to define them. I honestly don’t think God cares about church membership growth as much as He cares about the growth of His children.
Going through my divorce a few years back, I experienced God’s minute-by-minute presence in a way that I had never known before. Now I seriously cannot live without Him or without “us.” But it is a relationship. It has had many ups and downs and stops and starts (at least from MY perspective-probably not from His.)
It used to be that I would get pissed off with God or need massive amounts of Me Time and would instigate another cycle of break up to make up. Now it doesn’t take as long to realize that when I am angry with God, what I really need to do is run to Him. So that we can talk it out. So that we can embrace. So that I can remember why it is I love Him so much and that nothing else (even that lovely, invigorating Me Time) compares to the awesomeness of “us.”
@Tony York, right on man. You worded that well.
What would be the point of that, it would be emptiness.
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Not close yet.. but in my reach someday.
this post permenates my soul today.
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Over the past few years, everything of “me” was stripped away–all the good, all the bad, you name it–and the only thing that remained through all of it has been the constant presence of God. Without it, I would not be here. With it, I don’t care what my future holds–I can trust it.
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I’d like to think that I want to be there, but I tend to think that if I really wanted to be there I’d be so much more intentional and disciplined about my time with the Lord. Maybe I need to pray for conviction…..
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YES- I’ve felt God so present that I can’t live without him now! It’s so liberating! But it doesn’t mean I don’t get sidetracked on my strive for success – driven to provide for my family and provide means to do the things we want to do in life.
Nowadays, when I start to venture down that road without God by my side, I remind myself of what’s going on out there on capital hill – and that’s enough to scare me back into totally leaning on God!!
My brain feels like it’s in a maze with this answer, but I’ll try to explain:
If I had to choose success or God… I’m so there. I would choose God. A few years ago when I was more “of the world” it would have been a lot harder, but my life changing has changed my perspective as well.
However, as much as I am so aware of God in my life and acknowledging Him and asking Him to carry me 24×7, the reason I choose God over success isn’t because I’m so used to being in His presence. It’s because I’m sure I’ve only experienced a minuscule fraction of the presence He is. I want that face to face conversation on the mountain.
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I desire nothing less than knowing God and walking in His presence. I also desire great success and to see the dreams to be fulfilled. The battle takes place…
Some 5 years ago I moved my family 1400 miles across the country to plant a church to go to work on the dream. I lost my marriage in the process… many dreams all at once crushed!
So, what does success look like now when the dreams have been shattered?
It looks to the face of God and cries out for Him and nothing less. When one loses it all what else is there? God… the giver and sustainer of life – the giver of grace, hope, love, and mercy. The well of pain is deep here – thanks Jesus that he fills the well with His Spirit – that’s success and it’s only found in Him. Now it’s time for others to drink.
Thanks a million for this post!
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i wrote about this myself awhile back after finishing crazy love by francis chan. he quotes another book (can’t remember right now) that asked “if you were assured heaven with all of your friends/family and complete happiness but no Jesus, would that be ok?”
ouch! hate to say it but my first reaction was “yes”. i want to so love Jesus that He really is my best friend and all i need. just not there yet.
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I too am constantly amazed by Moses and his NEED to remain in God’s presence, not just his want! Wow!!! I’m right there with you on discovering how to get there!
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I am not there yet either, but the first thing that came to mind was 1 Corinthians 13 “I am bankrupt without love”.
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@Ladybird, that is so true! Glad to be on the journey with you.
Two thoughts:
1. Why don’t we consider that our colossal failures might be God’s idea of ultimate success? Why have we allowed the American definition of success to hijack God’s will for our lives no matter what it is?
2. One of my mentors early on said to me, “When will Jesus be enough for you?” Good question!
Why do I need….Fame, numbers, accolades, blog stats, shout-outs, recognition, special access, power, decision-making strength, my dreams, my ambitions, being cool, dressing well, invitations to speak, my pic on a promo, my name on a brochure????
What ever happened to dying self, sacrifice, suffering, carrying your cross? Doesn’t that describe the success of Christ more?
So what ends up happening in this spiral of sin is that I’m no longer trying to make Jesus famous…but instead I’m using Jesus to make me famous. That’s really pathetic!
So it’s got to be Jesus or nothing at all….not just success…nothing at all.
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@KC, dang you’re stepping on my toes. Great stuff. You’re so right.
KC, wow, you absolutely nailed it on the head for me. I feel so sorry to Jesus for how misaligned most of us have gotten from being broken bread and poured out wine for HIS sake, and HIS glory. The Lord has been teaching me that consistently lately in my quiet times, that I am to be poured out as a sacrifice unto Him for others, whether or not I ever get “recognized” or praised or accolades heaped on me. I depend on those things way too much and my desperate heart’s desire is that I would rather be a nobody for the rest of my life that walks so closely with the Lord than a “somebody” who gets lost in the allure of pride and fame.
Thanks Pete for a great post, I needed to hear this today.
That particular choice if laid out that plain and simple wouldn’t be a difficult one for me, but ya know what I thought of…of Saul when God’s Presence had left him and he didn’t realize it. So that’s frightening to me…success (like Saul) with God’s Presence gone and not even knowing it.
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kc, thanks! I used to have a couple of young guys that were really mentors to me. They took jobs with little pay just so they could show the love of Christ to a small community. They were friends to me and my family, and I mean real friends not like facebook friends, when you wouldn’t have expected them to be on the surface. They taught me about so many things. It was during this time that I became the closest to Christ I have ever been in my life.
These guys have now gone on to spread Christ to different parts of the country. I don’t get to see them or talk to them as much as I would like but I know this, they are still doing what they did back then. Spreading Christ to the dark places and encouraging everyone they come into contact with. They can only do that because of the Christ in them.
Give me Jesus! That pretty much sums it up. I have been in His presence so close I could feel Him touch me and hear Him speaking, literally. My soul burns to be there when I am not. When I have not been intentional or I am not walking in complete obedience or whatever it is that distracts me from Him, I yearn to be back there. Life is only right when it is in His amazing presence. Would that I could learn that and live it every minute. Ah, my goal in life. Now that, to me, is the measure of success.
Good post, Pete.
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I’ve been in a year long season of complete dependance on Him. It’s caused me to become an addict.
He and I are on a clear path and I can’t imagine not being close with Him. It will happen and can easily happen. And, that scares me. Through the hard times, that is when we are so close and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
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The thought of a hand writing on the wall that I have displeased God is absolutely terrifying to me. I honestly feel like I could have chosen different paths in life and had much more in the eyes of the world, but for some reason, God wants me right here. If that’s what it takes to have Him close, then here is where I want to be.
I think I have experienced the kind of closeness you are talking about. For me, it is terribly depressing when I wane from it. It creates an aching in the soul that cannot be filled any other way; a definite longing until I come back to that place. Anguish may be a better word than longing.
I hesitate to share this because it feels like I’m walking a red carpet. “I know Jesus intimately! He IS my All in All!” I shout, and in doing so I erect glass walls around myself. I fear that I will be torn apart . . . that the Perez Hiltons of the Christian faith will have me for supper because I said this or did that. “How can she know Christ?” they might ask, “Did you see what she wrote on her blog? That is conduct unbecoming a Christian. Vote her out.”
So even though I have this intimacy with Him, my brothers and sisters scare me a little bit. That’s the truth laid bare.
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Moses…I’d like to be reading about him now compared to what we covered today.
We just covered the anti-christ with my 6th grader. I gave her tiny sips of milk to take in. Didn’t want to give her to much.
The world is a crazy one. And with the anti-christ walking around us. I want His presense all around me and my family.
Always good to stop by here and get some *meat* to chew on.
Take care,
Amy
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@Harold, Good times. Don’t forget. You were a mentor to those mentors.
I am reminded of a comment I heard recently in a Louis Giglio DVD.
As Christians we are so busy trying to get our hands into God’s pockets, when we should be just wanting to reach out and hug him. That image kind of convicted me.
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I wish I could say that I was in the place where God’s presence was what I desired about anything. I’m not there but I’m like you Pete, I really want to be.
@Shark Bait, Wow, that’s a convicting image. That one will stick with me for a while.
Hehheh. Actually, I’m kind of afraid to invite God’s presence into my life all the way. I’m afraid of what he’d ask of me and of whether I’d have the guts to give it. Anyone else feel that way?
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hey pete, great challenging thoughts. Also, it’s been a while, wanted to say hi. See that you’re at catalyst oneday. wish i was there. sponge up all the Andy goodness you can!
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