I WILL BE WITH YOU
“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exodus 33:14
What more could a person possibly want, than to have the committed and constant companionship of the Lord God Almighty? Moses must have been one of the greatest leaders of all time. He took this vast multitude of people from their bondage in Egypt to the land God promised Abraham. Moses knew how much he needed God’s help. Our text is part of an extended conversation between God and Moses. Here Moses is requesting God’s leadership and direction. Then God assured Moses, “My presence shall go with thee.”
All those who know Christ as Savior have the same promise. He has promised to always be with us and to never leave us nor forsake us. We are never alone and never without God’s powerful and comforting presence. Whether we feel His presence or not, He is with us. The Holy Spirit indwells us. Our life is hid with Christ in God. What does this reality mean to us? It means that He is always there to comfort us, to strengthen us, to hear us when we call on Him, and to lead us when we need direction.
I often hear people refer to the loneliness that they feel. I understand that we need human companionship and friendship, but the truth is, we are never alone if we are in Christ. He is the best Friend we could ever know. Because He has promised to be with us always, He wants us to recognize His abiding presence and to walk with Him by faith.
Because His presence is with us does not necessarily mean that we are going to experience that reality. We must by faith accept what He has made available to us. For instance, I think it would be hard to be afraid if I knew that Jesus was with me. If Jesus were with me, I do not think I would be prone to complain or to murmur. If I knew that I was in the Lord’s presence, I’m sure I would not be as apt to worry or fret as I might if He were not around. There are probably conversations I would restrict and activities I would avoid if He were with me. If He were with me, I would be more confident in living by faith and sharing His salvation with others. If He were with me, I am certain that I would trust Him completely with the decisions of my life. If He were with me, I know that I would converse with Him often. We need to personalize and live out the reality of His promise, “my presence shall go with thee.”