Show Me Your Glory | Northstar Church

“Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” – Exodus 33: 18-23.

Moses was the man. The drama surrounding the life of Moses is pretty amazing – from the burning bush, to the plagues in Egypt, to the parting of the Red Sea and so much more. But there is a story of Moses that is not found in the public displays of miracles and supernatural events. The story is more personal, about spending time with God in a secret place.

It was in one of those holy moments that nobody else saw. In Exodus 33:18, Moses asked God to “show me your glory!” Moses wants to see God’s face. God answers that this is impossible because nobody can see God’s face and live. God offers a compromise: He tells Moses that he will place him in a cleft in the rocks, put his hand over Moses’s face, and then pass by, so that Moses will get to see His, God’s back, though never his face.

Moses had seen things no one had seen before. Yet Moses knows that he has yet to see the true glory of God. How many of us would still ask this question if we saw the miraculous before our eyes. Would we not think that we had seen the glory of God? Moses was saying, “I love all that I see in you! I love the compassion you have shown me and your people; I love the tremendous power you have displayed and I’m hungry for more of you… show me your glory!”

What we need is what Moses needed. “Lord, show us your glory.” Thank you for the wonderful things you have done in our midst. Thank you for saving us and filling us with your spirit. Thank you for the healing and miracles we have seen. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for loving us unconditionally.

Now, Lord we really want to see who you are. We want to see your face. We want to see your glory. We are hungry for more of you in 2016. We are hungry for more of your presence. We want more of you in our lives. Show us your glory in 2016.

Discussion Questions:

Do you believe you have seen the glory of God? If not, why not?
Can God show His glory to us today? Why or why not?
What steps can we take to get closer to God in 2016.