With or Without Him?

October 21, 2009

There came a time in the wilderness when the Israelites had been so disobedient God’s patience was at an end. God said to Moses, “I will send an angel before thee… [but ] I will not go up in the midst of thee.” (Exodus 33:1-3)

God says, “Moses, I’ve promised you the land. You’re going to get the land.  I’m going to send a mighty angel to go before you. But Moses, I’m not going to go with you. I’ll give you victory. I’ll give you success. I’ll give you the land.  But you won’t have My presence.” 

When God said that, the people mourned, and rightly so, because they had enough sense to know that without God what good is the rest of it?  What good is the land without the Lord?  What good is the victory without the Victor?  What good is the blessing without the Blessor?  What good is the gift without the Giver? The people said, “We’re not going to settle for an angel.” 

Moses replied, “Lord, I’m not going without You. If You don’t go, I’m not going.” 

You know, I think many of us would have settled for what God said. Many of us would say, “Lord, You promised me eternal life. I’ve got eternal life.  You promised me heaven. I’ve got heaven. You promised me that You would see me through. You’re going to see me through.  Thank You for the angel, Lord. Thank You for heaven, Lord. Thank You for eternal security, Lord.” And that’s what you’d settle for. You would settle for that without the conscious presence of God. I want to beg you not to do it. 

Do you want what God will give without having God Himself?  Do you want that kind of a relationship with God?  Or are you saying, “I am not satisfied with separate maintenance.  I want to know the Lord intimately.”

Adrian Rogers

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