Monday February 7, 2022

Today is Monday, February 7 and this week we are exploring what the Bible says about going deeper with God.

As I begin this time of prayer, I pause and become still. I calm my thoughts and silence my mind. I breathe slowly and deeply, and center myself upon the presence of God.

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord, I want to go deeper with you. Break new ground in my heart and enable me to experience the depths of your loving presence. Enable me to dig down further spiritually and discover paths of christian maturity through the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

From the heights and depths of my existence I praise God with the words of Psalm 148.

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths. Psalm 148:1-2,7

Pause and Pray

Moses and the people are journeying through the wilderness of Sinai. The people rebel, they want to return to Egypt, they want things to be like they used to be, they constantly grumble and complain, they worship the golden calf. Yet God stays with them. Moses continues to lead them despite his frustration and disappointment. At this point in the story, Moses seeks more and more of God’s presence for himself and the people. He wants a closer experience of God and a guarantee of God’s presence as they head into the future. He will not continue the journey without God.

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?” 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.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” Exodus 33:12-18

I can relate to Moses’ wilderness wanderings. In the same way Moses struggles to lead the people on their journey with constant setbacks and challenges, my life journey sometimes feels similar. Like the people of God, I find myself grumbling, complaining, and rebelling against God. There are times when I even turn to the shiny golden calves of this world and prioritize them above God. Like Moses, I desire a deeper relationship with God and an assurance of his presence on my life’s wilderness journey. If the Lord’s Presence does not go with me, I do not want to go forward without him. I seek the Lord’s presence above all else and pray for a deepening awareness of his companionship. I want to experience his glory and pray that I will have eyes to see him at work around me.

Ask: Do I desire God’s presence to accompany me on my life’s journey? What deepening steps can I take to grow in my relationship with the Lord?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God thank you for your companionship on the journey. I am grateful you know me and call me by name. I pray I will find favor with you and you will be pleased with me. More than anything, I desire your Presence to accompany me throughout each day. If you are not going with me then I must be headed in the wrong direction. Please teach me your ways so I may know you. Show me your glory, Lord! I read the words from Exodus again and listen for the message you have for me.

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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?” 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.” Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” Exodus 33:12-18

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

When I pray, I am speaking to God. When I read scripture and meditate on the words, I am opening myself for God to speak to me. God can speak to me anyway God chooses, but often God chooses the words of scripture. I am learning to pay closer attention to the words so I can hear God. I consider what emotions this conversation between God and Moses evokes for me. Where am I in the discourse? I note Moses’ frustration and uncertainty about the future and consider the places in my life I am frustrated and uncertain. Moses has an intimate relationship with God, yet he desires even more. He wants to go deeper with God. I ponder the depth of my relationship with God and consider what it would mean to ask for more. More of his presence. More of his glory. More of his companionship.

Pause and Pray

Precious Lord, I do not want to go on this journey without you. I invite you to be the one that takes me by the hand and leads me on an expedition into the future. I do not completely understand what it means to go deeper in my relationship with you, but I know that I want more of you and long for your presence. Come, Presence of God, may your glory rise and shine. Amen.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Isaiah 60:1-2

As I leave this time of prayer I go in the Presence of the Lord seeking to reveal his glory and shine his light into the lives of others.

Amen.