September 18, 2023: The Benefit of Presence - Rest

"And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14, ESV)

After Moses had convinced God that He should accompany them to the Promised Land, God spoke these powerful words. "My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest." The word 'rest' is the Hebrew word ‘nuah’, which means to settle down. Not only does it mean to settle down, but it means 'tranquility, serenity and peace’. It implies that a person looks back, sees where he has come from and what he has accomplished, and is satisfied. It is what God did on the seventh day!
    
God tells Moses and the children of Israel that His Presence would go with them. The Presence of God is what believers find when they enter the rest of God, or they enter into Jesus, our Sabbath rest. The Presence is the Life of God! When the Presence fills the people of God, the people come alive! The Old Testament picture is the Valley of Dry Bones. When the Presence showed up, the bones came alive. The Presence is the river that Ezekiel saw, and everything it touches lives! When you enter the Sabbath rest, you enter the Presence of God! You cannot help but come out of the Presence filled with life, dripping with life, ALIVE WITH LIFE!

What a promise to Moses and all who love God's Presence and make room for Sabbath Rest in their lives!