Wednesday, October 27, 2010

God is Glorious!

October 27, 2010

With the holidays approaching, each day the anticipation rises. Remember the anticipation you had as a child for the mystery of Christmas morning and what lay under the Christmas tree? Inside, I always felt little butterflies jittering around my tummy. My smile covered my face. I couldn’t force my eyes shut to sleep the night before. Everything built up to reveal the one mystery. What would Christmas morning hold?

Right now, I am in anticipation. Each day that passes the anticipation grows. But, it isn’t for the holidays. It is the anticipation of finally being home. Not my earthly home. My heavenly home. Because when I reach my heavenly home, I will behold the glory of the Lord.

Never before has a word proved more mysterious, yet the same word has been uttered in between the pages of my Bible. God’s glory is one of those great mysteries that we as humans like to try to describe, but we will never know what God’s true glory is until we are standing face to face with Him in heaven.

The Psalms are full of praise proclaiming God’s glory. And Psalm 24 is no different.

Psalm 24
The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.

Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?
Who may stand in his holy place?

He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.

He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.

Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
Selah

Lift up your heads, O you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory. Selah (NIV)

David tries his best to try to describe God is all His glory, yet all he comes up with are questions. “Who is this King of glory?” It is as though, the words are taken right from his mouth and all he can say is that he is astonished in His presence.

God’s glory is a mystery. But, the Bible does capture a few glimpses of the whole picture to tempt our palates for what is to come in heaven when we are reunited with the King of Glory. So, instead of me trying to stumble out words in a humble attempt to describe God’s glory, I will let God’s Word speak for itself.

Exodus 15:11 “"Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”

Exodus 24:17 “To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.”

Exodus 33:18 “Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."”

Exodus 33:22 “When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.”

Psalm 29:3 “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.”

Psalm 96:6 “Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.”

Psalm 115:1 “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Isaiah 6:3 “And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."”

Isaiah 40:5 “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."”

Ezekiel 10:4 “Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple. The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD.”

Habakkuk 2:14 “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.”

John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Revelation 5:12 “In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"”

Revelation 21:11 “It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.”

Revelation 21:23 “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.”

God is Glorious!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

God is My Guide!

October 26, 2010

Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever. (NIV)

Probably the most well known, widely read Psalm of the Bible. Just six simple verses, but they hold so much truth and comfort.

I am sure you have read this Psalm yourself many times. God may have even used this verse to comfort you or remind you of His presence in times of trouble.

After reading this verse afresh this morning, I realize that God is named in many different ways just in this one Psalm. In previous Psalms we have read, the names of God are numerous and sometimes it is hard to just narrow it down to one name of God to focus on. In this case, God is so many things. He is shepherd, protector, provider, rescuer, restorer, glorious, fearless, and comforter just to name a few.

There is one name that stands out to me in this Psalm the most.

God is My Guide!

The first line of the Psalm compares the Lord to a shepherd. A shepherd’s job was to guide the sheep to new places to eat and drink. He acted as a guide in order to lead the sheep where they were supposed to go. God is a guide to each of us in our own lives.

When I think of a guide, I think of someone who knows the path we are going to take. In fact, they have even been down that path before, several times. As the guide, they are in charge of leading me down the path, pointing out obstacles along the way, as well as turning my attention to the beautiful things during the journey.

God is my Guide! God knows the entire path of my life. In fact, He already has it all mapped out, each and every step. God knew where I would live and how many times I would move before I graduated high school. He picked out each of my best friends specifically for me. He saw the hurt and rejection I experienced in middle school and high school. He helped me choose which college to attend and what I would study. He led me to each relationship I had, until I finally met my future husband. He planned out the timing for us to get married and to begin our Air Force life together. He saw all the ups and downs I experienced along he way. Everything about my journey, God has planned and knows ahead of time.

As my guide, He promises to always be with me. Yet, He doesn’t promise to leave out all the trials and sorrow and hurt. He will definitely give me the strength to make it through and come out on the other side with an even deeper faith. God guides because He loves me.

And the best part is I know the ending will be marvelous! Psalm 23 promises the most wonderful ending to any story, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Because I have chosen to accept God as my guide and believe in where He is leading, I will live in eternity with God!

Monday, October 11, 2010

God is Always Present!

October 11, 2010

I have a shadow that follows me around the house. No matter where I go, my shadow follows. If I am cooking in the kitchen, I find my shadow close by. If I am doing laundry, my shadow is right there among the clothes. As I type these words, my shadow is not far from me.

I am not talking about my actual shadow created by the light. I am talking about our puppy golden retriever, Sophie. She follows me everywhere! She has become my constant companion. And what a joy it is to have a constant companion. Turns out, she is the best listener I have ever known!

We all want to be heard. We all want to be known. We all want companionship. It is how we are created. And because of that longing created deep within us, we search for that companionship everywhere. Even in our own dog. Yet, the companionship, we are looking for is found in the only piece that fits in our companionship hole. And that is the companionship of God, our Creator.

So far our journey through the Psalms has defined God in so many different ways. I am only continuing to broaden my view of who God is. Today, I am expanding on something I have always known to be true of God. God is always present! I have known that ever since I was young. God has no beginning or end. He is!

But, now I am taking that one step further today. Who is the only person who has been with you since birth? Who has seen you laugh and cry every time? Who has been with you as you moved from one place to the other and been a part of every step? Who has watched you grow throughout the years never taking His eyes off of you? Who has witnessed your lowest lows and your highest highs, and everything in between? God!

Reading through Psalm 22, David is crying out to God for help in the midst of trouble. Every where around him are people who are mocking him for what he believes. They are tempting him to renounce his faith. They are his enemies. He is desperate for someone on his side. And then he remembers…

God is Always Present!

Psalm 22
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.

In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.

They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.

But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.

All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

"He trusts in the LORD;
let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him."

Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother's breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.

Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.

I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.

My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.

I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.

They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.

But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.

Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.

Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.

You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.

The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,

for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.

Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.

They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it. (NIV)

David’s words reminded me that God is always present! He has been with me every step of the way. He even formed me in my mother’s womb! “Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.”

From the beginning of my life, God has been with me. He has never left me, just like my shadow! He is my constant companion! He fills that piece that is missing in my heart! No one else will ever be able to fill it as completely and fully as God does.

So, whenever I am lonely, whenever I am in trouble, whenever I am worried, whenever I want someone to listen, whenever I am afraid, whenever I want to burst with joy, anytime I have a whenever moment, God is Always Present! He is my companion!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

God is Loving!

October 5, 2010

One of my favorite movie quotes is, “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”

Love after all is the greatest lesson in life. Even 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Love conquers all. Love makes the world go round. Love covers a multitude of sin. Love is all you need. Love one another. Our love can create miracles. LOVE.

But, where do we learn to love? Maybe from our parents. We watch them interact with each other as we grow up. We decide whether love is affectionate or passionate or harsh or cruel or condescending. We form opinions from what we see played out day by day. Maybe from the media. We take in so many movies surrounding love stories, whether they have a happy ending or not. We fantasize and romanticize about our own love lives.

No matter where you formed your definition of love, each of us know what love means in our lives. But, just because we know what love means, doesn’t mean that the love we give and receive is perfect. Only one love is ever perfect. The unfailing love of God.

God is Loving!

Psalm 21
O LORD, the king rejoices in your strength.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!

You have granted him the desire of his heart
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
Selah

You welcomed him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.

He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.

Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.

Surely you have granted him eternal blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the LORD;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.

Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies;
your right hand will seize your foes.

At the time of your appearing
you will make them like a fiery furnace.
In his wrath the LORD will swallow them up,
and his fire will consume them.

You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
their posterity from mankind.

Though they plot evil against you
and devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed;

for you will make them turn their backs
when you aim at them with drawn bow.

Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength;
we will sing and praise your might. (NIV)

This psalm of praise is a reaction to God’s unfailing love! When someone loves you, you can’t help but shout it from the rooftops. Love propels you to do great things, be a better person, make the right decisions, and affect others positively. Love is contagious!

In Psalm 20, David had prayed asking God to protect him in battle and save him from his enemies. Psalm 21 is David’s response of thanksgiving. God went above and beyond what David asked. God lavished David is his love. And David wants the world to know.

How did God’s unfailing love manifest itself in David’s life?

God gave David victory! David might have been fighting a literal battle, but we are all facing daily battles in our own lives. God’s love provides our victory against the enemy when we rest in God’s love.

God gave David the desire of his heart! God wants to bless you abundantly. He knows what your heart wants better than you do. His love is so powerful that He is able to move mountains for you in order to fulfill the desires of your heart.

God blessed David! When God blesses you, you cannot keep it to yourself. God’s blessings on your life will flow from you to others around you and will create a domino affect. Love never divides, it always multiplies!

God granted David life, not just here on earth, but eternal life! This is the single most important thing you will ever do. Eternal life comes from God alone. You have a choice. You can choose to believe in God and accept His Son as your Savior, thus giving you eternal life. OR You can choose not to believe, thus granting you eternal death in hell. God’s love is literally your life saver. That is the power of God’s love!

Will you accept God’s unfailing love in your life today?

Friday, October 1, 2010

God is Faithful!

October 1, 2010

Every morning when I go running with Sophie, I take time to pray. I pray for whoever and whatever comes to mind. Sometimes, it may just be a quick one sentence prayer. Other times, I may spend the whole time praying for one specific request. I never know when I will receive an answer to my prayers. But I do know that I WILL receive an answer. God is always faithful to answer prayer.

God is faithful!

In Psalm 20, David is lifting up a prayer to God asking for safety, mercy, protection, and also answers! David expects God to answer His prayers, just as we are to expect God to answer our prayers. God has never nor will never leave a prayer unanswered.

Psalm 20
May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call! (NIV)

I love David’s assurance in the faithfulness of God. He says, “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.” Beyond a shadow of a doubt, David knows that God hears him first when he cries out in prayer, and that God answers him!

We can have the same assurance! We serve the same God that David serve. A God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That means He is faithful to answer us just as He answered David.

Do you have a request to offer up to God in prayer? Do you need help making a decision? Are you not sure which direction to go? Do you need comfort and help? Are you in need of answers? PRAY! God is faithful and He will answer. And…

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”

Thursday, September 30, 2010

God is my Artist!

September 30, 2010

I am an artist. I believe that art is all around us. It surrounds us. Just look out your window. You may see beautiful towering trees. Or you may see tall grasses blowing in the breeze. You might even see a squirrel or a bunny scurry across the yard. You may see blue skies or clouds bursting at the seams. Whatever you see, take a look closer. What you are seeing is created by God. His hand painted the blue of the skies while he wisped the clouds into place. He drew each little pine needle on every branch of the tree. He created the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the moon.

I am an artist because my God is an artist.

God is my Artist!

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language
where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (NIV)

Sometimes, I just love reading a psalm aloud to hear the poetry of the words flowing together. Poetry is art. Without God, our lives would have no art. We would not have song or dance. We wouldn’t enjoy photographs or paintings. We couldn’t touch sculptures or take in design.

God has created art for us to enjoy. He has created you as His most prized masterpiece. He has signed His name to you and claimed you as priceless. You are art from the Ultimate Artist.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

God is our Rock!

September 29, 2010

Growing up in a Baptist church, I quickly learned all the traditional hymns. When I hear the music to those old hymns, I automatically find myself singing along. I remember singing “The Solid Rock” along with many others.

 

Throughout the years, different hymns have meant different things to me. Even as I think back, “The Solid Rock” probably meant something different in my life as a child as it does to me now as an adult. Since January 15th, 1989, I have seen how my faith has grown and how God has become my Rock!

God is our Rock!

David relied on God as his rock throughout his trials especially when he was being pursued by Saul and his army. David literally hid among the rocky terrain from numerous attacks. But, it wasn’t the rocks that protected David from death. It was The Rock who saved him! God was David’s Rock, and He is ours today too!

Psalm 18
I love you, O LORD, my strength.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.

The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the LORD;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O LORD,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.

All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.

I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.

With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.

He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.

You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.

You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.

I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind;
I poured them out like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations;
people I did not know are subject to me.

As soon as they hear me, they obey me;
foreigners cringe before me.

They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!

He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,

who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD;
I will sing praises to your name.

He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever. (NIV)

David relied on the Rock. In fact, he refers to God as his Rock four times in this one Psalm. Other people throughout the Bible have relied on God as their Rock too.

In Genesis 28:10-19, God gives Jacob a place to rest upon a rock. Jacob has stolen his brother Esau’s blessing and now he is on the run. Jacob has no where to sleep for the night, so he lays his head down on a nearby rock. But, all along God plans to reveal to Jacob the true Rock in his life. “Jacob left the town of Beersheba and started out for Haran. At sunset he stopped for the night and went to sleep, resting his head on a large rock. In a dream he saw a ladder that reached from earth to heaven, and God's angels were going up and down on it. The LORD was standing beside the ladder and said: I am the LORD God who was worshiped by Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your family the land on which you are now sleeping. Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people. Wherever you go, I will watch over you, then later I will bring you back to this land. I won't leave you--I will do all I have promised. Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, "The LORD is in this place, and I didn't even know it." Then Jacob became frightened and said, "This is a fearsome place! It must be the house of God and the ladder to heaven." When Jacob got up early the next morning, he took the rock that he had used for a pillow and stood it up for a place of worship. Then he poured olive oil on the rock to dedicate it to God, and he named the place Bethel. Before that it had been named Luz.” (CEV)

God reveals Himself to Moses when he is hidden in the cleft of the rock. Moses has been called by God to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Moses has many questions as most of us would if we were to be given such a task as Moses was given. He wonders how the people will know that God will go with them and that God has chosen Moses as their leader. Exodus 33:12-23 says, “Moses said to GOD, "Look, you tell me, 'Lead this people,' but you don't let me know whom you're going to send with me. You tell me, 'I know you well and you are special to me.' If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don't forget, this is your people, your responsibility."

GOD said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end."

Moses said, "If your presence doesn't take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you're with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we're special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?"

GOD said to Moses: "All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name."

Moses said, "Please. Let me see your Glory."

GOD said, "I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I'll call out the name, GOD, right before you. I'll treat well whomever I want to treat well and I'll be kind to whomever I want to be kind."

GOD continued, "But you may not see my face. No one can see me and live."

GOD said, "Look, here is a place right beside me. Put yourself on this rock. When my Glory passes by, I'll put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I've passed by. Then I'll take my hand away and you'll see my back. But you won't see my face.” (The Message)

In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus taught his disciples a parable about wise and foolish builders. Jesus taught the disciples that they must build their foundation on the Rock—Jesus in order to spread the gospel. When they build their lives on the Solid Rock, they found their purpose in life. While others built on temporary things of this world that were quickly washed away like sand. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (NLT)

What are you building your life on? Solid Rock or sinking sand?