Oct 27, 2019, | Pastor Nathan Elms
-Most of us understand that God holds tomorrow. He sees what we do not.
-All of us are intrigued by the idea of having God give us direction… whenever we have big decisions to make… whenever we face real fear about the unknown…
-Faced with uncertainty, with fear, we ask for God to “give us a sign”
-That isn’t really what I’m preaching about. Much of that is using God as a consultant.
God offered something better than guidance; he promised to be their Guide.
What is better than God's guidance? God's Presence
"My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14).
-Rest is a testimony of trust.
MY WAY OFTEN FEELS INSIGNIFICANT
No matter what you do, someone will be better. When we compare ourselves one to another it becomes a trap.
-The thrust of this text is that because of the accompanying presence of God, we are significant among others.
-We aren't significant because we are weird, queer, or odd. We are significant because God's presence accompanies us. We are not different because of what we do, but rather because of what God does in and through us. A holy person takes God's accompanying presence seriously.
-Think about it. We are consciously aware of God's presence; it will impact our talk, our behavior, and our thoughts.
-It's worse than having the pastor play golf with you. It's more powerful than having your mother go on a date with you. God's accompanying presence causes us to think different, act differently, talk differently, love differently, and serve differently.
-The accompanying presence of God calls us to stand out in the crowd, to be distinct, separate, and unusual. He calls us to be different.
D. MY WAY OFTEN FEELS FORGOTTEN (V. 17)
"The Lord answered Moses, 'I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name" (Ex. 33:17). Can you imagine being known by God? The encounter with God is an intimate experience. We come to know him and he comes to know us. Can you imagine the significance that gives to us?
The Creator of the universe calling us by name.
