Exodus 33

13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you. Remember that this nation is your people.

14 The Lord replied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.

15 Then Moses said to him, If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?

17 And the Lord said to Moses, I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.

18 Then Moses said, Now show me your glory.

19 And the Lord said, I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Isn't this just an amazing chapter? The Lord tells Moses that He will be with them wherever they go, that His Presence would be with Moses and give him rest, and that he would show Moses His glory. God would meet with Moses in the Tent of Meeting and "the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to a friend."

Isn’t that just amazing? The relationship Moses and the Lord had, because Moses relied completely on God, and turned to Him for everything. The rest of the people could not have that closeness, that relationship with God, but the wonderful thing is that we can. Through the sacrifice of Jesus we can now freely approach the throne of grace, we too can come to the throne of God and have that closeness, that friendship, that relationship.

It is not a case of God being so far away, a far off distant god, someone, some being, who is so far above us, so much more good, so pure, so holy, so righteous. No, we can speak to God, talk to Him, have that close relationship as if He is right beside us. We may not have the cloud hovering over our house, our office, our car or wherever we are praying, but we can rest safe and secure in the knowledge that God is there with us, no matter what we are going through and that He will teach us His ways and show us His glory. We just need to keep our hearts and minds focused on Him.