SCRIPTURE: Exodus 33
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.’ [John 14:8-9].
Moses asks, ‘show me Your glory’, and Philip asks, ‘show us the Father’.
They were asking the same thing.
The ironic thing is that both of them had already seen remarkable evidence of God’s glory.
But they wanted more.
God spoke with Moses face to face, as with a friend [Exodus 33:11].
Philip spoke with Jesus face to face, as with a friend [John 15:14-15].
But the way God relates to us through Jesus is unique, different from how God spoke to Moses, and to the people.
Jesus is not just a human mediator between God and people, He is God Himself in the flesh [Colossians 2:9-10].
Even though it is true that no one can see God and live, Jesus reveals the glory of God in a unique way, as the one and only Son of God [John 1:14-18]
Both Moses and Philip realize that they cannot fulfill God’s mission unless God is with them.
Their request to see/experience the glory of God is a desire to be sure, to be equipped with God confidence.
What Moses experiences was amazing, and we probably wish we could see the same.
But Jesus offers this, and more.
We can talk with God through Jesus face to face and know we are seeing the Father.
We see Jesus with our imagination, as His life is lived out before us in the gospel stories.
The Holy Spirit in us opens our eyes to see Him, and enables us to talk with and hear Him.
When we meet with God, through Jesus, by the Spirit in the “meeting place” [the prayer closet, Matthew 6:6], we are seeing and experiencing His glory.
On the one hand, we should be content with this.
God has already revealed Himself to us in wonderful, miraculous ways.
But we can also be inspired to ask for more.
With boldness, like Moses and Philip, let us ask to see even more of God’s glory, whether through dramatic personal experiences or miraculous God-moments.
Do this, not just for the experience, but so that like Moses you will be energized with greater confidence, glowing with the presence of God.
Do this, so that like Philip and the other disciples who witnessed the glory of the resurrected Jesus, were energized to boldly testify to Jesus as Lord and Saviour, even to death.
PRAYER:
Lord, I have experienced You, but I want to see and know You more. Show me Your glory and energize me to lead Your people!
God’s presence was certainly evident – the cloud coming down while Moses talked with God in his tent. And the people stood and worshipped at their tents during this time, stripped of their ornaments. Nothing we can bring in our relationship with the Lord.
The Lord God did tell Moses that His Presence would go with him. This is the distinguishing feature of God’s people. God with His people and He knows them by name. Knowing this- that God is present with His people and even seeing the cloud, Moses still asks for God to show His glory.
Standing on the Rock of Christ my Saviour, I too can see His glory. As a member of His family, He is present always. He continues to lead and guide as I continually ask Him to lead me and guide me. His presence is ever present. Open my eyes Lord so that I may see as I live for Jesus.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
I am looking, I am listening
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Help me to know Your will (repeat)
The right word to say,
the best move to make
Who’s in need of a helping hand
For Your perfect ways are worthy of praise
I delight just to do Your plan
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
I am looking, I am listening
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Help me to know Your will (repeat to beginning)
Help me to know Your will
Help me to know Your will