I’m normally not one to be overly excited about the opportunity to meet someone famous. I’ve always felt like they are just people despite our various reasons as a society for celebrating their accomplishments or stardom. I’ve always laughed when people go above and beyond to get into the presence of one of these “celebrities”. It seems some will do anything and I mean anything just to get a picture, an autograph, or a twitter or instagram post with these people. Social media has made this even worse.

A few years back I got a chance to meet a very prominent economist at a conference I attended. He was someone I had great respect for and followed his podcasts and writings weekly. I called my wife and told her all about getting to meet him. I was almost giddy over the experience. Looking back I realized I was doing exactly what I thought was ridiculous-acting like another human being hung the moon.

Moses’ encounter with God throughout his time in the wilderness really puts this infatuation with stardom into perspective. If we can get so excited to see another human being who has no ability to empower us, how much more excited should we be to be in the presence of our God? In Exodus chapter 33, God grants Moses the opportunity to get a glimpse of his all mighty presence. The experience for Moses had to be unbelievable, so much so that Moses’ face would glow after meeting with God. Since when has a celebrity had that effect on us? Moses gave God’s commands to the Israelites and they knew he had been in the presence of God. Exodus 34:34-35 “And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant.”

As Christians we should not only experience the presence of God daily but be star struck by it. He parted the waters, delivered us from sin, and made a way where there was no way. He has given us the gift of eternal life and for that we should be forever changed!