If Your Presence Will Not Go.. || Dwelling in His Presence

"Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, or I would consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people."

 And he said to him, "If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. 

 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth." 

The Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name." 

Exodus 33:3,15-17


God told Moses that he would give the nation of Israel everything He had promised them. He told them He would give him a land of abundance but that He would not go with them. He explained to Moses why. He said it was because they were a stiff-necked people and He would consume them on the way. 
Pause. 

God offered Moses a deal on behalf of the people. A deal that most of us would've taken. God offered Moses and the people everything, except His Presence. And Moses, our father, said No! He didn't take the deal many of us would take. He didn't think to himself 'yeah but God you won't really do that'. Of course you'll go with us. And even if you don't go with us, you'll show yourself eventually, so deal!" I

If I'm being honest, If God offered me no financial worry, health, healthy children, a healthy family, all my needs and wants met, and excluded His presence, a part of me would think, "but do you really mean that or will you eventually show yourself."

In that realization, I come to see my faith for what it is. How could I even entertain that thought?! But isn't that how most of us are, if we're being honest with ourselves? We're content with a new house, thriving ministries, increased following on social media, stable jobs, nice home decor, healthy thriving kids, money to buy the best foods, following the letter of the Law, and the list can go on. How often do we stop and tell God, at the offer of a new house or at wearing tzitzit, "Hey if Your Presence doesn't go with me....if You aren't in this, then I'm not doing it. I don't want it God, if You won't be with me." 

I think the reason many of us struggle with this is because we've make a habit of doing things for Him or doing things in His Name, but not being concerned about truly being in and delighting in His Presence. We are content to busy ourselves with the right style of Bible journaling, tzitzit lengths and colors, what type of challah we're making for Shabbat, what songs we're going to sing on our day of worship, what modest outfit picture we're going to share, what the perfect caption will be for our perfectly curated Instragram profile. We are just doing and doing and striving and striving and we have no peace. We have no Presence. 

We serve THE MOST COMPASSIONATE and THE MOST GIVING God. We serve יהוה! The God who has always been, is, and always will be! He holds back no good thing from us. In Jesus, He holds nothing back from us because we are no longer slaves, but we are children....co-heirs with Christ. His Presence is always accessible to us in Christ. All we have to do is get into it. Sit at His feet. 

Sweet sisters (and any brothers here), may we rest in the fact that It. Is. Finished. That anything that we are doing is not in our own strength and power but in His. May we come to the beautiful and sanctifying truth that everything is meaningless if He is not going with us. 


Shalom, 
Zarah