Scripture Reading: “And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks unto his friend… And Moses said unto the LORD, `See, thou are saying to me, Bring up this people; and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.’ And He said, `My Presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.’ And he said unto Him, `If Thy Presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou go with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.’ And the Lord said unto Moses, `I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee by name‘” (Exodus 33:11-17).
Commentary: God loves to talk face to face with each one of us in a living way, as a man speaks to his friend. What God said to Moses, became Moses prayer to God, almost verbatim! Notice their lively dialogue, how they spoke back and forth to one another.
Let me repeat this to you in contemporary English, so you can understand it better. Moses answered God saying,
“Look here, Lord, You are telling me to lead this people into the Promised Land, but You have not let me know who You will send with me. Yet You have said, I know you by name, and I have also found grace in Your eyes. Now therefore, I pray to you, if I have found grace in Your eyes, show me Your way, that I may really know You, that I may find grace in Your eyes: and consider that this nation is Your people.”
Then God answered him, saying,
“My Presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”
This stirred Moses to reply to God, “If Your Presence does not go with me, don’t take us there! For how will the world know that I and Your people have found grace in Your eyes? Is it not in the fact that You are personally going with us? Your Presence is the only thing that makes me and Your people different from all other humans on earth!”
Then the Lord answered Moses saying,
“I will also do what you have asked Me: because you have found grace in My eyes, and I know you by name.”
Moses bases his prayer to God on the very words that God had spoken to him. That is an excellent way to pray! Don’t waste your time and God’s time using special religious words, don’t drop your voice to a low cathedral echoing tone, don’t try to impress God by your expertise in talking to Him in archaic Shakespearean English. I can assure you that He understands modern English perfectly.
Most of Moses’ prayer is simply quoting God’s statements, reminding God of His promises.
The most outstanding factor of this portion of Scripture is that Moses loves God’s Presence and does not want to go anywhere without God’s Presence!
Furthermore, he is totally convinced that it is only God’s Presence that makes him and God’s people different from all other humans on earth! God loved to hear that and gladly granted Moses what he had requested.
Prayer: Speaking Father, how glad I am that You are not a dumb idol! You are alive! You speak to me! You and I can talk! You and I can have a living dialogue! I can talk back and forth with You!
Like Moses did, I also can remind You of what You are speaking to me as I read Your Word.
Like Moses did, I also pray, Lord, show me now Your way, that I may know You better. I too value Your Presence more than any blessing You could give me. I love You, the Giver, more than the gift! You are much better than the best things You give!
It is so restful to have Your Presence with me and in me. Don’t send me anywhere, unless You personally go with me and in me, unless Your Presence goes with me and in me.
I love Your company, Your counsel, Your fellowship, Your personal speaking to me, Your still small voice speaking with me.
I thank You that You hear my prayer and You will do what I have asked You to, because I have found grace and unmerited favor in Your eyes and You know me by my name, Fred Malir, and even by my nickname, Freddy!
In the Name above all names, in the Name of Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
From Dialogues With God – Chapter 2