God's Presence

Hebrews 11:24-26 NKJV
[24] By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, [25] choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, [26] esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
Moses was an Israelite raised as a privileged prince in Egypt. He had the best of everything, but he wasn’t satisfied. Something inside Moses told him he couldn't attain his true desire where he currently resided. He chose to leave his place in the most affluent nation on earth because he was after a greater reward.
What was this reward? Moses himself didn’t know at first. It wasn’t until forty years after he left the palace that he met God and experienced His presence. (Exodus 3.) Once this happened, Moses’s goal was set. We can see what this goal was by looking later in his story.
In Exodus 33, Moses has led Israel out of Egypt. This is a stressful time for him. His national approval rating is low, and the desert he and the people are traveling in is full of challenges. Wandering in the wilderness doesn't seem any better than slavery in Egypt. However, the people have a hope: Canaan, their land of promise, a place God has said is overflowing with abundance.
Now God has instructed Moses to take the people into this land. He's declared there will be a mighty angel to guide them and drive out their foes. There's just one catch: God Himself will not go.
Exodus 33:15 NKJV
[15] Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with  us, do not bring us up from here.
Moses’s reply is mind-boggling. In essence, he tells God, “If I have to choose between Your presence and Your blessing, I’ll take Your presence.”
This was Moses’s great reward. Nothing mattered more to Him than knowing God intimately.
Can the same be said of us?
Do you even know what it means to be in God’s presence?
The passion for God that Moses possessed only comes from experiencing His presence for yourself. God wants us to experience Him! James 4:8 says He draws near to us when we draw near to Him. We do this by praying, worshipping, and reading His Word, not as obligations but because we’re pursuing a relationship with a Person.
Seeking God Himself is what protects us from the temptation of lesser pursuits, including those that seem good on the surface. Choose to make intimacy with Him your greatest goal!

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