Monday: That I May Know You
Daily Lesson for Monday 15th of September 2025
Read Exodus 33:12-17. What did Moses ask the Lord to teach him? Why did he demand God’s presence to guide them?
Moses’ growth in the Lord was steady. He drew closer and closer to the Lord and sought to model himself after God’s image. One day when he was conversing with God in the tent of meeting,
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Moses suddenly realized that he did not know Him, and he uttered a specific prayer: “ ‘Show me now Your way, that I may know You’ ” (Exodus 33:13, NKJV). Moses was aware of his deep need to understand God on a new level. He discovered that the more he knew the Lord, the more he did not know Him. He recognized his need and wholeheartedly desired to know Him better. God willingly granted Moses’ wish.
By looking at the experiences of Moses so far, we can observe how Moses was drawn into a deeper, intimate relationship with the Lord and how he grew spiritually.
First, Moses climbed the mountain and “went up to God” (Exodus 19:3, NKJV). Then he went “to the top of the mountain” (Exodus 19:20, NKJV) and afterward approached the cloud, “the thick darkness” in which God resided (Exodus 20:21, NKJV).
On another occasion, “Moses entered the cloud” where God was, and he stayed with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18, NIV). During these 40 days, God gave Moses two precious gifts: (1) the gift of the Decalogue written by God Himself on the two tablets, also chiseled by Him (Exodus 24:12), and (2) the instructions on how to build and furnish the tabernacle (see Exodus 25:1-40; Exodus 26:1-37; Exodus 27:1-21; Exodus 28:1-43; Exodus 29:1-46; Exodus 30:1-38; Exodus 31:1-18).
Then he spent another 40 days and nights with the Lord, interceding for sinners (Exodus 32:30-32, Deuteronomy 9:18).
Yet, even after all this, Moses desired to know God’s character more concretely, and God soon gave him special insights to understand who He is. This knowledge Moses desired was not a mere intellectual understanding of God but an experiential knowledge of His person.
No wonder centuries later Jesus would say: “ ‘And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’ ” (John 17:3, NKJV). What better way for God to make Himself known to humans than by becoming a human Himself?
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Do you know God, or do you just know about Him? What is the crucial difference between the two? |
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As most readers know, I have a PhD in computer science. At the time I was studying my household was very noisy. My wife is a fast and frequent talker, and my daughter is something else again. She can even talk when she is breathing in. Both women have developed duplex communication skills; they can listen and talk at the same time. I love them and would not have it any other way, but in the days when I was studying, getting the time to think deep connected thoughts was a serious problem. I would wake up an 2am, when the women were sound asleep and go into my study and think problems through and solve them. No interruptions; just pen and paper, a couple of computers and my thoughts, I could get my ideas together and test my theories; and it worked.
Moses was in the process of transforming the Hebrews into a theocratic nation. They were not serried ranks of compliant pilgrims. They were a rabble, they fought and bit and scratched and whinged at Moses every day and often far into the night. Moses was writing his PhD, the Torah, and he was in consultation with the expert, God. He needed peace and quiet and time to listen and think.
We may not be writing the book to change a nation, but we are in the business of changing our own lives and changing the lives of others around us. Spending a bit of “alone time” with God is not just a good idea; it is essential.
Jesus said:
And just a little corollary to that thought. This is not an invitation to monasticism or mindless meditation. Moses' mind was not in neutral; it was an interaction with God. And the time came when he had to leave “The Tent of Meeting” and go back into the noisy camp of the Hebrews and apply what he learned.
Oops, Carmel is awake, the day has begun!
On several occasions Moses had close encounters with God. Moses had seen the power of God through the burning bush, miracles in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the encounter at Mount Sanai. However, “one day” Moses realised that he wanted to know God better (Exodus 33:12-17). I am truly intrigued how Moses talked to God like one can talk to a friend whom you went with to nursery school, primary and secondary together. “One day”, you realised that you do not know your friend enough. What was Moses deeply seeking to understand about God? What was Moses pleading for? Are there any lessons that we can learn from this episode?
“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you...” (Exod.33:13, NIV).
Moses was not pleading for more miracles or power, but to have a more personal and passionate relationship with God. He was longing for a more productive and fulfilling connection with God. He desired to grow more and more in God’s ways (character and nature). He desired to have more understanding about the heart of God (love, holiness, mercy, compassion, and justice). Moses had seen enough of God’s revelation but now Moses was yearning for a closer walk with God. Moses had realised that the only way he could continue to enjoy God’s favour was to grow in His ways. Moses yearning more of God teaches us a few valuable lessons:
1. We should crave for more of God’s nature than about Him. Relationship is more fulfilling than information.
2. In our spiritual growth, we should be bolder to request God to grant us a more intimate and passionate relationship with Him.
3. “One day” let us extend our relationship boundary with God beyond His miraculous revelations. Let us dare become like Him.
4. Without the presence of God, our victories amount not much. God must go with us.
In essence, our spiritual growth is not dependent on God’s revelations but on having a more productive and fulfilling relationship with Him. Like Moses, we can walk with God for many years and still realise: “I want to know You more.”