Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” – Exodus 33:15-16

Prior to this chapter, Moses had ascended Mount Sinai to meet God for the tablets containing the ten commandant. In his absence, the children of Israel had coerced Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship, an act that angered the Lord and caused Moses to throw down and destroy the tablets God had given him. We see Israel repent from this grievous sin, and we see God let Moses encounter Him again for the Ten Commandments, but He makes it known to them that His presence will no longer dwell among them.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your descendants I will give it.’ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

The entire nation mourned when they heard this bad news, scripture explains that “they stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.” Moses intercedes for the nation and God assures them of His presence once more. And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Moses wanted something for Israel that would show that they were not just like all the other nations, and that could only be the unique, powerful presence of their God. Moses knew that besides this, nothing the LORD could give them would make them truly different from the nations.

In our walk with God, we must also desire that one thing that will make us stand out from other people, that unique, powerful presence of God. The presence of God which is able to open doors, break addictions, destroy patterns and hand us victory over the enemy. Today, I pray that we will desire nothing more than the presence of God, and that just like the Israelites our going in and coming out will be blessed. In Jesus name, Amen.