Friends in Christ Weekly Message
October 15, 2005

     The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Exodus 33:14 (New International Version*)

     The Lord said, "I will go with you and give you peace."
Exodus 33:14 (Contemporary English Version*)

     God said, "My presence will go with you. I'll see the journey to the end."
Exodus 33:14 (Message*)

As Moses has been given his commission by God, he asks some questions of God and is clearly somewhat anxious about what lies ahead. This is the promise God gives Moses, as rendered by different translators. I believe the promise is not just for Moses, but for all of us who would follow God's leadings in our lives.

Most importantly, God promises His presence with us. We will never be alone, no matter how other humans react to what we are called to do. We can be certain we will not be abandoned.

The journey may be very difficult and fraught with many obstacles, as Moses' was. But despite all that, we will feel God's rest, His peace. This is integral to God's presence with us, and Eugene Peterson's translation of that phrase emphasizes God's constancy with us.

Do we live in the light of this promise? Are we confident that God's presence will be with us throughout as we do what God calls us to do? Do we relax in God's rest, His peace, rather than allow ourselves to become anxious?

Bill Samuel

* New International Version © International Bible Society.
Contemporary English Version ©1995 American Bible Society.
The Message version ©2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.

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