- Presence and Rest
Exodus 33:13, 14 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Do we also need for the Lord to show us that we have found grace in His sight? Do we need to be shown the way that we may know the Lord? Do we need confirmation that I am one of God’s people? Surely we do, for doubt is naturally a part of the human condition. We, like the Jews, seek a sign; instead the Lord gives us His sure Word and precious promises. God answered Moses’ prayer for assurance: God’s Word was enough for him, and for us, even more than the numerous signs God had already given to show him and the people that He was indeed with them. The wonder is that we need only the Word. God does also give us signs, but we still need the Word to confirm the signs. The signs do not confirm the Word; they simply point to the Word.
We have God’s Word and promise that His presence will go with us and that He will give us rest. Presence and Rest are two promises that Jesus gives us. Jesus says, “I am with you always to the end of the age.” And He says, “Come unto me, and I will give you rest.” That is what we need: His Word. When we have even a little doubt, we only need to look to the Word of God for assurance and confirmation. If God says His Presence will go with us, it will. If God says He will give us rest, He will.
The Angel of the Presence goes with us: it is Jesus. The Sabbath Rest is given to us: it is Jesus. We are never alone and, believe it or not, we are never stressed out. We have Jesus with us and we have His restful spirit. His presence is in us; and we may call upon Him in the day of trouble. He is our rest; we may answer His call and come to Him at any time of need and He relieves the stresses and strains of life.