Exodus 24:15-18, English Standard Version
“Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.”

My wife and I have recently been reading through the book of Exodus and have come to chapters 25 through 30. In these chapters we hear about the instructions that the Lord gave to Moses concerning the Tabernacle and how the Israelites were to worship Him. This section starts by telling us how Moses ascended to the top of Mount Sanai and spoke with the Lord. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. When we think about that amount of time it does not seem like a long time. However, it has made me think about the process of waiting on something, especially something that we know is from the Lord.

I believe that many who are reading this can relate… you know the Lord has given you a vision and a promise about something in your life. Maybe it is about the salvation of a loved one, or the promise that He will bring you a husband or wife. But then, days start to pass. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and sometimes, months turn into years and even decades. It may feel like that promise is never going to come true. Are there any situations in your life which may feel that way?

Let’s take a look again at this story in Exodus. The Israelites had witnessed Moses go up and day after day went by. They began to question if God was really there and if Moses would ever return. In spite of all the great things that had seen the Lord do, they still were impatient and their impatience brought doubt into their hearts. They began to seek their own solution and in the process tried to create their own God who they believed would answer them in the time and way that they desired. Now, I once again ask, does this sound familiar to you? You have been waiting for the Lord but at some point, you took the matter into your own hands and tried to make a way yourself. You may have gained temporary satisfaction, but ultimately you paid the price. The Israelites who were impatient and created their own God would be banished to wander in the wilderness for 40 years and never see the Promised Land.

So, what can we learn from this example? I believe that we need to remember to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and do not try to figure things out ourselves. If you have found yourself in this situation in the past and made the mistake of trying to make your own way, then today is the day to repent and seek forgiveness and submit your will to the Lord. If you are waiting for something that the Lord has promised in your life, then today is the day to reaffirm that your trust is in Him and that you will seek nothing but His plan and His timing.

Christopher Brock
Aug 20th 2022 What A Man Says Article
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