Hiding Place DevotionalНамуна

Rest for the Road

 I'm a big picture kind of person. When I look at the mission of mothering, I envision the "big people" my children will someday become. I think about their passions and dreams. I think about how they will remember our home. I want them to be free to be who they are and grow into confident adults. I want their childhood to be full of joy. I also want them to learn how to persevere when times are tough. I want them to know Jesus and live for Him. Oh how I want so much for them.... Then I start to wonder how we will get from point A to point B, and what about all that stuff in the middle? Before I know it I find myself breathing hard and sweating, and I wonder, "when will I get to come up for air....or take a nap?" Mothering is no small feat. These little lives will impact this world. Woe, that's intense. There's so much to be done! Moses had a mission too. God called him to lead His people, His children, to the Promised Land. Read Exodus 33:12-13. I love Moses. He sounds so human here...like me. God's response is the hope we're longing for. Read Exodus 33:14 REST! There it is! We will find assured rest in His presence. He will PERSONALLY go with us. WITH us. I really want you to grasp this. Our God doesn't watch from a distance. Our God is HERE. Right now. Then Moses goes on with his human antics. Read Exodus 33:15-18. Moses’ words reflect a desperate, weary heart. Totally maxed out and at the end of himself. Been there. I hear my own voice as I read that passage. I have prayed these words almost verbatim. “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place." Each day we are called to leave our pride and lead humbly. Something we surely can't attempt without the Lord. Our God is compassionate and understanding. He knew Moses needed tangible peace. So He hid him in the cleft of a rock with His mighty hand and allowed him to catch a glimpse of His glory. Don't worry, mama. When we are hidden by God's hand and surrounded by His presence, we will surely experience His glory and find all the rest we need for the road.