Experiencing God's Presence #93

Experiencing God's Presence #93

Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

Exodus 33:11

Before the Tabernacle had been assembled, Moses used to set up a tent outside the camp. He would go there to meet with God. All Israel would witness the old man walking out to the meeting place; they would stand at their tents and watch the cloud of glory hover over the tent. They knew the eternal God was communing with a man with an extraordinary calling.

Scripture makes a remarkable statement about God—one we might rebuke someone for making if we didn’t know it was backed by divine inspiration. It says God spoke with Moses “as one speaks to a friend.” Without compromising the majesty or holiness of God, Scripture humanizes His relationship with a person. It makes no comment on Moses’ unworthiness as a fallen human being or God’s unapproachable nature. It mentions no possibility of Moses dying in the Presence as the rest of Israel feared they would do. It details no rituals or confessions Moses would have to make before conversing with God. It simply says they met together as friends.

That’s our goal—to meet with God as a friend. We want to hear Him speak to us with words we can understand, just as if we were having a cup of coffee with someone and enjoying a transparent conversation. We crave the intimacy and familiarity with God that Moses had.

How can we get it? If we respond to God as Moses did—if we are willing to follow Him anywhere, take enormous risks for Him, and endure the drama and trials of someone who hears God’s voice—we can meet with Him as Moses did. We may or may not see a cloud of glory or hear an audible voice as he did, but we can know Him confidently and deeply—as a friend.

Lord, I want to know You like that, and I’m willing to follow You as Moses did. Please lead me into that kind of relationship with You.