Moses desired the presence of God far more than the promises of God.

I have often wondered how Moses was able to keep on keeping on when it seems he lost everything, when he sinned and was not allowed to enter  the promised land.  It seemed to me that he had lost everything he'd worked for. And I didn't understand how he could just keep going; serving God and leading a hard nosed short sighted people and doing so by all accounts with grace and acceptance.  How did he have the strength to go on after such a significant loss that was completely due to his failure, his sin. 

Maybe it was obvious to everyone else but it was not obvious to me. Tonight, however , I have revelation.

Moses desired the presence of God far more than the promises of God.  This is clearly evident in Exodus 33-34.

But what I had not realized until tonight was that it was the surpassing greatness of the presence of God over the promises, that kept Moses faithfully moving forward and serving God's people even when the penalty for his sin was to forfeit his participation of entering the promise land.  

He didn't lose everything he worked so hard for and served so faithfully for.  He lost the promise (well really a certain specific participation in the promise), but he didn't lose what mattered most to him, and the thing that compelled him to work so hard in ministry.  He didn't lose the surpassing greatness of the presence of God.

This is huge to me because I have so often attributed my failures with causing myself and others to lose the promises of God.  And I thought the purpose of my obedience was to attain or retain the promises of God. That is not completely true. God's promises are yes and Amen and will be fulfilled with or without me.  And there is certainly a glory given to God when by our obedience we receive God's promises. However, the true purpose of my obedience is to dwell in the center His presence. 

As it was for Adam and Eve, even after they were kicked out of the garden because of their sin, God provided a way for them to be in His presence.  And so it was for Moses, though he forfeited a participation in the promise due to his sin, yet he never left the presence of God. And so it is for me, for all of us.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

This revelation is powerful to me. Like removing the stinger from a scorpion, this truth removes the debilitating power in my fear of failure.  It brings greater understanding of "God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”[Deut. 31:6]. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. ...[Psalm 118:6,7]" (Hebrews 13:5-6) and "greater is He who is in you" (1 John 4:4).

No this is not a license to sin, just like abounding grace isn't a license to sin. This is the power and surpassing greatness of humbly knowing and dwelling in the presence of God.  This is the power of desiring and seeking the presence of God far more than the promises of God.  

When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek." Psalm 27:8 (NASB)

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,

And the light around me will be night,”

Even the darkness is not dark to You,

And the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are alike to You.

Psalm 139:7-12 (NASB)