Today’s reading is Exodus 33.
In this chapter we read where God tells Moses that it will no longer be Him who will go before them and lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, but instead an angel. Why? He tells Moses the Israelites are a “stiff-necked people” in Exodus 33:3. What does “stiff necked” mean? It I typically defined as stubborn, arrogant, and unwilling to submit or change.
God is understandably frustrated with the Israelites. Previously, just before in Exodus 32 they made a golden calf to worship after all He’s done for them. Can you blame Him? In Exodus 32:32, Moses goes so far as to say that if you don’t forgive them, blot my own name out of the Book of Life. Here we see again that Moses intercedes for his people he leads in Exodus 33:12-16. He advocates that if he’s found favor in God’s sight, please go with his people, not just an angel. He advocates that how would others know the Israelites are God’s chosen people if He doesn’t go before them.
And what does God do, He extends his mercy and says He will still go before them Himself in Exodus 33:17.
What can we learn from this?
God listens to the prayers from those who love Him. Who should I be praying for today? Let us follow Moses’ example and love our family and our friends so much that we earnestly pray for God to show mercy to and help them. Moses loved His people so much that he was willing to give up his own eternal life. That is powerful.
We serve a God that over and over shows mercy to those who don’t deserve it, you and me, just like the Israelites. We see that throughout the Old Testament and then as we enter into Easter weekend, we saw Him extend His grace once and for all when He gave His Son Jesus up on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
Let us thank Him for His undeserving grace and mercy on the cross. Let us extend that same grace and mercy to those of who have hurt us. And let us pray for His grace and mercy for those who don’t deserve it in the same way we don’t.