"And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount." (Exodus 34:2,3)
The last lingering moments of the Sabbath were slipping away as I sat quietly meditating and reflecting--clinging to the last fleeting glimpses of a day spent with God and pondering the challenges of a new week ahead. I had seen God's blessing, I had felt His presence, but I wanted more...more faith, more consecration, more of Him. The answer came soon enough...in fact so suddenly that it nearly took me by surprise...just be ready. Ready for what? In my mind's eye I could see the aged patriarch bowed before the eternal God who had just commanded him to lead the people of Israel to the promised land. Moses' answer was "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." (Ex. 33:15) He was not even willing to carry out a direct command of God unless he had unmistakable evidence of God's favor and presence. God had given him the verbal assurance....but Moses was not satisfied. He made one of the boldest requests ever made by a human being: "... I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." (Vs 18) Wonder of wonders, God does not rebuke His pleading servant, but agrees to grant his request. The condition...just be ready. Come up to the mountain in the morning. The mountain! The same mountain where God has revealed Himself in thunder and smoke, where He had handed Moses the two tables of stone inscribed with His law and revealed the intricate and detailed pattern for the sanctuary--come to the mountain. I can only imagine how Moses' heart must have thrilled with unspeakable joy and enthusiasm. He had to be ready.
God had given me the answer. I must be ready....ready to listen to His voice, ready to spend time with Him, ready to set aside all distractions, ready by faith to enter the presence of God! My mind struggled to grasp the significance of what God was telling me. What if Moses had slept in that morning? What if he had postponed the divine appointment for an important leadership meeting? What if He had excused himself to have a counseling session or settle a quarrel in the camp? But even as I wonder, I see that there is a reason God had chosen Moses to be the leader of His people--a man so humble and selfless, so dedicated and self-sacrificing, that He would seek the presence of God above any other consideration. What was the result of Moses' obedient preparation? Exodus chapter 34 gives the count of God's amazing revelation of His character.
How many mountain-top experiences have I missed because of earthy trifles? How many times has God said of me "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace..." (Luke 19:42) Lord, have mercy on us, that will we seek Him before these things are forever hidden from our eyes!
"If men will walk with
God, He will hide them in the cleft of the Rock. Thus hidden, they can see God, even as Moses saw Him. By
the power and light that He imparts they can comprehend more and accomplish
more than their finite judgment had deemed possible." {AA 362.3}
