Today, as I was out exercising, I had a God moment. It was so overwhelming. I felt engulfed in His indescribable love. God wanted me to know He walks beside me, and He wants you to know He walks beside you, too. I was so taken by this revelation that I took out my cell and took a photo of my shadow to share with you as a visual.
God was just downloading into my Spirit all sorts of truths. We cannot physically see God and live. Yet, He walks with us. We know God walked with many people, starting with Adam. Others are Enoch, Noah, and Abraham, just to name a few. The truth is God walks with His people. The question we must ask is, “Who does He walk with?” The answer is very simple. God is always walking with the righteous. These are people who are in right standing with Him. They live lives of holiness and godliness before Him. These kinds of people are blessed.
Please understand that being blessed does not mean a life with no trials and temptations. It simply means a life that stands out in the midst of the trials and temptations because we are overcomers through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We live lives that bring God glory.
Speaking of lives that bring God glory, let’s take a look at Moses. Moses wanted God to walk with him. He said that he would not go anywhere if God would not go with him. God showed Moses favor. He told Moses that He would go with him as he led the people into the Promised Land.
Moses wasn’t content with just having God go with him. He took it to the next level.
Let’s read this incredible encounter between God and Moses.
“Then Moses said, “Please let me see your glory.” The Lord said, “I will let all my goodness pass in front of you, and there I will call out my name ‘the Lord.’ I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to. But you can’t see my face, because no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “Look, there’s a place near me. Stand by this rocky cliff. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a crevice in the cliff and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you’ll see my back, but my face must not be seen.” -Exodus 33:18-23
Can you imagine what this moment must have been like? I wish I had been Moses. I am very jealous. The very presence of God was seen and not just felt by Moses. I find this passage very interesting. Let me explain. God could just have said “I will let all my goodness pass in front of you, and there I will call out my name, ‘the Lord.’"
Moses didn’t ask for any explanations. But, God, on the other hand, gave him one. This is what He said. “I will be kind to anyone I want to. I will be merciful to anyone I want to.”
God was letting Moses and us know that He will show kindness and mercy to anybody He chooses. Why is this so important for Moses to have known? You see, Moses asked God, “Show me Your glory.”
Now God was demonstrating to Moses one way that He reveals His glory.
Let’s look at the word "mercy" found in Exodus 33:19. It means, “Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.” This is what He meant. In other words, “Moses, I will show my kindness, compassion, and forgiveness to anyone I so choose.” It is this kind of glory that is demonstrated through His mercy, too. God had compassion for the Israelites and led them out of the land of Egypt. His powerful hand had seen them through the ten plagues and opened the Red Sea, and yet, they revolted against God. Moses stood in the gap and became their mediator before God, “I will not move if you do not go with us.” God was moved by the plea of Moses. Moses had found favor in the eyes of God, and God allowed him to see that which Moses had asked for. He protected and sheltered Moses in the crevice cliff of the rock. God’s glory passed by and Moses got to see the back of God. I wonder what the back of God looks like. Nobody else got to see anything of the physical being of God, but Moses, on the other hand, did. What favor!
I have not seen the back of God, but I have been placed in the crevice of protection, hidden from all harm. I sure have been in His shelter, right under His hand of protection. I have seen His glory when He forgave me of all my sins. Accepting me as His beloved daughter as a nine-year-old girl. I saw His kindness in the wilderness of despair and hurt. I saw His glory in every single gift He has bestowed on me, especially in the faces of my darling children, and in the darkest of hours of the worst of moments.
Oh yes, I have seen His compassion, kindness, and mercy. Today, when I asked God a question, He answered me in such a powerful way. All of a sudden, I saw my shadow. He told me, “You see yourself there? Now, imagine, it is Me who you cannot see walking next to you. I am with you always. I am there in every place you go. I am with you. I will not leave you, nor will I ever forsake you. I walk beside you, in front of you, behind you, and all around you. You cannot see Me, but I stand with you. Nothing shall pluck you out of My hand. You cannot see Me, but I do allow you to feel My presence."
This word today is for all of us. It is not exclusive to just me. God walked with Moses. He walks with His people. God assured Moses, me, and now you, that He was with him. God walks with the righteous. God is very clear in this passage above; He wants to show kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Regardless of what is happening, know that He is there in every single situation that you might find yourself in. He wants us to know this absolute truth. He is there walking with you.
Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
Founder and President