Verses:
Exodus 33:17-21 reads “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.” 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.But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.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.Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
Matthew 7:7 says “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
John 14:9 says “Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on My own. Instead, it is the Father dwelling in Me, performing His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me—or at least believe on account of the works themselves.” Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”
Devo:
Sometimes I feel guilty asking God for things. I know that’s silly, but it’s true. Sometimes I get so caught up in being a “good Christian” or a “humble wife” or a “servant heart” that I forget that it’s okay to pray to God for specific things, for answers, or to simply have Him show us His face a little bit more.
I shared a few weeks ago how Exodus , specially chapter 33, is one of my favorite stories (read that devo here). I know it seems ironic that I just said you can pray to see the Lord’s face but in this verse it specifically says He will show His back. I mean metaphorically, y’all. Once in awhile, I need some extra reassurance that God’s got me. Does this mean I have less faith? Not necessarily. Does this mean I will no longer believe if I don’t get exactly what I want? No, of course not. But sometimes we need a little extra reminder of how powerful God is, or a reminder of the goodness He has placed all around us. In times of distress I will pray that God shows his faithfulness to me in a more tangible way than usual.
And friends, it’s so reassuring.
We were not created to walk alone, and we were not created to go through life without any questions or hesitations. That means it’s okay to go to your friends or your small group or your prayer warrior (those iron sharpens iron people) and ask them for a little extra push. It’s okay to ask God for a little more clarity. When we ask in His name, we receive. Sometimes what we receive isn’t exactly what we wanted, but it’s ALWAYS what we need.
Listen to “Show Me Your Glory” by Jesus Culture here.
Prayer:
Lord, You are so good. Even when I am lacking, even when the world seems to be crumbling, You are good and You are faithful and You are steadfast. I come to You asking for You to show Your face just a little bit more today and for You to wrap Your arms of comfort and healing around myself and this community. You hold the entire world in Your hands and have written our stories from beginning to end. You are the maker of all things good and the answer to all questions we might have. Lord, we cry out to You humbled and in awe of Your glory. Show us Your glory, Lord. Overwhelm us.