When God Hides.Sýnishorn

"The people kept their distance, but Moses approached the dark cloud where God was."

For us, darkness can be associated with those dark, sad moments that bring a pain we don't want to show anyone. We may think that God has forgotten us and that we must be alone, but God may be there. Why didn't God want to show Himself to the Israelites? Because the Israelites didn't want to see God.

In verse 19 it says: "Then they said to Moses, ‘If you will speak to us, we will listen. But please do not let God speak to us, lest we die.’” They asked Moses to speak to God for them, but under no circumstances should God speak to them directly.

I can understand them; sometimes we go through times when pain overwhelms us and we are afraid. However, Moses dared to approach God, because God had also called him. When God hides in the darkness, He does not do so because He has no brightness, but so that His brightness does not overwhelm us; sometimes He uses a veil, but it is to protect us.

Why did Moses approach? There are things God needs to show you that are for no one else but you. It is in the darkness that you have the opportunity to shine, and to see the hidden light of God that others cannot see.

Even later, God asks Moses that when they approach Him they make an altar of earth. Great, wonderful, and sublime God asks for this.

The earthen altar is us, and He asks for offerings of communion and worship, to draw near to Him, just as we are, not like gold, saying that we have something brilliant and perfect to offer, and God asks that the altar be without steps, so He doesn't ask for "levels of prayer or hierarchy." God only asks to be there, speaking with Him, and He Himself promises: "I will come and bless you in every place where I want My name to be remembered." It is only an earthen altar; it is only an offering of communion, and God wants you to know that, that it is not about you, but about Him, that you should certainly fear His name and show reverence, but God knows that you can enter confidently into the throne of grace and show yourself just as you are, because He knows that we are of clay, and yet He is willing to listen to us and come to us to transform us.

God is with you; you may not see Him because you see the darkness, and you have not yet seen His glory, but it is because you have not wanted to.

Perhaps you are afraid that His light will shine so brightly that it may expose everything that is there, or you have been in darkness for so long that you are afraid that His light may blind you, but God will reveal Himself as He wants to in your life, until you can understand that His glory comes accompanied by grace.

And God's grace is a grace that forgives, that redeems, that restores, that leads you to know the depth of His love. It may seem dark, but God is there. In reality, God is not hiding; you will see His light in the midst of that darkness.