February 24, 2021
Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day, He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. And to the eyes of the sons of Israel, the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. (Exodus 24:15-18)
The word "glory" is a word given to us to describe the nature and character, the immanence of God. Some word had to be coined for this purpose.
God was calling Moses up Mount Sinai for one of the most important encounters in human history: the giving of the Law. This called for a unique encounter with God's chosen leader, Moses, and so God came down and manifested Himself in an unusual way. This verified, once again, to Moses that it was God who was giving these instructions for His people.
It looked like a majestic cloud on top of the mountain, and Moses walked into that cloud. For those looking from below, it was so brilliant that it looked like fire on the mountain. Regardless of its appearance, it was that which accompanies God's presence ... and it was glorious. There was nothing that could compare.
The beautiful thing about this for Moses is that he "entered the midst of the cloud." It was here that God met him. Few have had such an opportunity, but Moses was chosen for this task.
I want to be a man that God can entrust with His truth and that can, in whatever measure God allows, experience the glory of God. We all long for this genuine experience of God in our lives. In His mercy and through the great work of Christ, God has now made it possible for us to be literally inhabited by God! His Spirit lives in us, giving us the opportunity to know and be led by His presence daily and continually.
What a tragedy when we fail to realize and acknowledge His presence in us. When we feel that we can handle life better without turning to the God who is within us. And the result of such a sin? We "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Our lives manifested mere, fallen humanity, not the glory of God.
Father, thank You for Your glory! That You are not like anyone or anything. You are all our hearts long to experience. Thank You for providing a way for us to experience Your glory continually through constant dependency upon You. Forgive us for our sinful independence, and give us the grace and wisdom to let You live through us so all can see Your glory!
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