You and I live in a fallen creation. Sin and death have entered the world. Everyone is born with a sinful, rebellious nature. No one can see God face-to-face and live. Moses desired to see God’s face. God provides a cleft in the rock for Moses and for you and me to see Him, but not face-to-face just now.

Here is the conversation between God and Moses recorded between 1450-1410 B.C.

Exodus 33:¹⁴ And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

¹⁵And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

¹⁶For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

¹⁹And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

²⁰And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

²¹And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

²³And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Definitions

Grace = God giving us what we do not deserve

LORD = Jehovah, the I AM

Cleft =a space or opening made by a split

Stand = to be in an upright position on the feet

Rock = a firm foundation or support

Glory = great praise, honor, distinction

Cover = to place something over or upon for protection, concealment and warmth

Behold, there is a place of safety, where we can see God! That place is Jesus!

Do you know this song

Oh, safe to the Rock that is higher than I- William Cushing, 1823-1902

Oh, safe to the Rock that is higher than I, My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly,
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine would I be, Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

Chorus

Hiding in Thee, hiding in Thee,
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow’s lone hour, In times when temptation casts o’er me its power;
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea, Thou blest Rock of Ages, I’m hiding in Thee.

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe,
How often, when trials like sea-billows roll, Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.

When you and I receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He blots out our sins and covers us with His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

¹⁸And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

¹⁹To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Our focus = Hebrews 12:¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge = Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good  plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti