God's Presence goes with me

Two weeks ago our Sunday School lesson was about Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. Moses recognized his dependence on God and his need to be in God's presence. Here is the Scripture passage we looked at, from Exodus 33:12-19

 12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

 14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

 17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

 19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

God spoke to me while I was reading this, and reminded me I don't have to go anywhere without God's presence, because God has promised to go with me. I don't want to go anywhere without being in God's presence. I desire to follow God always, no matter how hard the journey is. God not only promises God's presence, God also promises rest. I can trust God to guide me always. I may not always feel like a competent leader, but God is the One who works through me. I can call on God any time and trust God to be here with me to help me and guide me. I desire to continually learn God's ways and walk in God's presence. I don't want to go anywhere without God with me.

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:13-15

As I was thinking about my visa this morning, God reminded me of this passage in Scripture. I don't know if I will get my visa in time for my flight Wednesday. I don't know if I'll be able to go the Eurasia Regional Conference next week. I don't know when I will get to Bulgaria. I don't know how long I will stay in Bulgaria! God reminded me that God knows everything, and I don't have to worry. If it is the Lord's will, I will go to Bulgaria in a few days. If it is the Lord's will, I will go to Bulgaria in a couple weeks. God asks me to trust, even when (especially when) I don't know what will happen. No one knows how long their life will last, no one knows what will happen to them. The Lord asks us to put our trust in God and not in ourselves. God will take care of us!!