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Written by Tim Collins
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Friday, 19 December 2008 |
“but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” (Exodus 33:11)
I find myself longing for God more and more. When I come near to Him I want to linger as long as life’s pressures and responsibilities allow me. So I like the story of how Joshua waited at the presence of God. This young man would not depart out of the tent of meeting. When Moses would enter, God would talk to Moses as a friend, face to face. Moses had that unique relationship with God at that time on the earth. Psalm 103 verse 7 says Israel only knew the acts of God but Moses actually knew the ways of God.
It would seem to me, that Joshua would have to be able to hear the conversations that God would have with Moses. Joshua would be there when the cloud would come down and cover the entrance to the tent. He was in the tent while the conversation went on then the presence of God would lift and Moses would leave but Joshua would not. He was hungry for God. He wanted to know God better so he waited. In that presence of God his faith would grow. He would think about the words he heard and they sank into his heart and those words became real to him. So when he was chosen to spy out the promised land his heart did not doubt that God could deliver it into their hands. (Numbers 14:8-9) Years later the heart that desired to be with God lead him to be the next leader of Israel.
So let’s think about our hearts. Do we have that hunger for the presence of God and the desire to talk to Him face to face? Do we wait in the presence of God wanting more and more?
We have a promise of a relationship that is far better than the Israelites did. Jesus said I call you friends if you do what I command you. (John15:14) Then He prays for us. He prays that you and I would have the same kind of relationship with the Father that Jesus had with the Father. That we would be one with God just like Jesus was one with God. (John 17:20-23) That is so incredible. We don’t have to go to a special place, or offer some kind of sacrifice. We don’t even have to act better to get to talk to our heavenly Dad. He said that we can come boldly into His presence anytime we want with whatever need we have. (Hebrews 4:16) The only question is this, are we coming to talk with Him and are we getting to know God’s ways? Everything is open to us. All is ready. Will we put forth the effort that Joshua did to be near God? Will we set aside time to be with the one who loves us as Jesus was loved by the Father?
Psalm 91 talks about dwelling with Him and loving Him. In some versions of the Bible, verse14 says, “to set our love on Him”. Are we setting our love on Him or have we set our love on something or some one else? When we do seek God, the blessings are awesome.
Take time today. Make time today! Let this relationship grow and flourish. We will be blessed and we will bless our Father who loves us so much.
Tim
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