Today's Devotional

Brought to you by Prayer Team member Bobbi Heffel

Exodus 34

 ²⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” ²⁸ Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.

The Radiant Face of Moses

 ²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹ But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. ³² Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.

 ³³ When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. ³⁴ But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵ they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

I keep thinking of the “mountain top experience” as we call it. That time (or times) in your life when you have been so close to God that you are filled with euphoria and it feels like your feet are barley touching the ground. What a blessing to know His presence so intimately and intensely. Sometimes we seem to be stuck in a dry, blowing desert either spiritually or the path our life has taken due to unforeseen events. If you are stuck or struggling, take heart!

Moses had just lead the Israelite people out of Egypt. Strenuous.  He made several requests for his people’s freedom by coming before Pharaoh. Stressful.  And he had just living through the 10 plagues of Egypt. More than unpleasant. Not to mention the emotions that come with discovering you were adopted. An now here he is in the desert, with a great throng of people counting on him to lead them safely through the desert to the promised land. Now what does Moses do? He climbs the mountain where he encountered God before, with the intent to meet with or hear from God.

Moses had just lived through history changing events and he chose to seek out God. That gives me great hope that no matter what we are struggling with or against that it is not so big, that we can’t seek God and overcome it! Our struggle maybe the very thing that compels us to draw near to God.

When Moses reached the top of the mountain was it empty? Absolutely not! Moses spent 40 days and nights with the Lord without eating or drinking and when Moses came down from the mountain his face was radiant. This isn’t the glow we see on someone happy or an expectant mother. This was a glow that caused people to fear him.

Are you ready for a mountain top experience? A time with God no matter what circumstances surround you? Moses was still in the desert when he ascended the mountain. Are you ready for an encounter with God so sweet that food can’t equal. An encounter that molds you into the will of God so much that people take a step back to try and understand what has happened to you.

2 Peter 1

³ His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴ Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 ¹⁰ Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, ¹¹ and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Prophecy of Scripture

 ¹² So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,

 

PRAYER

Lord, Thank you for your promises! That you will never leave nor forsake us and that you are with us in all of life’s events. You go with us through the desert. You hold us during the storms. You comfort us through the deepest hurts. And you celebrate with us in the joys! While we long for the next mountaintop, help us to faithfully walk the path you have set before us and may you receive all glory and honor. Amen