Have you ever wanted to be with someone so much that you took advantage of every opportunity to be with them? Maybe you felt this way when you were dating. you were so much in love, you wanted to spend as much time with them as you could…even if no one said anything!
Have you experienced this? Do you remember?
This is a picture of Moses’ relationship with God, as seen in Exodus chapter 33. Here we find Moses speaking to God as you would to a close friend. (Ex. 33:11) You see Moses wanting God to stay with him, and not leave him. (Ex. 33:15) You also see Moses speaking of feeling special because of his relationship with God…as if Moses wants to show God off to others. (Ex. 33:16) Finally, you see Moses wanting to know God more intimately. (Ex. 33:13,18)
When someone feels that way about us, it thrills us. I believe God feels the same way when we intensely desire to be with Him. To have a heart that says to God, “Be very close and real to me. Teach me how you see and do things. Show me who you really are.”…this is pleasing to God.
I admit that I’m not always that intensely passionate about wanting to be with God. I want to get there, but I can’t make that happen on my own. (Matt. 19:26) (John 15:4-5) So I need to ask God to build my desire and hunger to be with Him in a more consistent and intimate way.
How about you?
Bret Legg is the Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.