Lord, Show Me Your Glory!

I have often wondered what it would have been like to be Moses and actually get to hear God’s voice audibly and clearly.  Exodus 33:11 tells us that “the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”  That must have been an incredible experience, and certainly a special privilege that he had been given, as God’s spokesman to the people of Israel.  Yet what really amazes me about Moses is what we find in the following verses of Exodus 33. 

Moses is feeling understandably overwhelmed by the task of leading the whole nation of Israel to the promised land, and he reminds God of His promise to go before him and be with him throughout this journey.  He realizes that what he needs most is a deeper understanding of Who God is and a greater awe of His glory.  This is the man who regularly spoke with God face to face, but he was not satisfied with this!  Instead, he boldly asked God to show him His glory (Ex. 33:18).  Although God reminded Moses that no man could see the full display of His glory and live, He graciously granted Moses’ request by allowing him to directly witness a small portion of His glory.  Even this small display must have been spectacularly awesome and caused Moses’ face to shine brightly long after it was over (Ex. 34:29).

I think about how privileged I have been to know and experience so much of the glory of God through His complete Word and through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, Who is the fullest revelation of God, and whom Hebrews 1:3 describes as “the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person.”  Yet have I allowed myself to become satisfied with what I already know of Him, or do I desire, as Moses did, to know Him more and see more of His glory revealed?  Am I thirsting for Him daily, as David speaks of in Psalm 63, realizing that everything I know of Him and have experienced just scratches the surface of the infinite depths of Who He is?  May my continual prayer be, “Lord, show me Your glory, that I may know You more!”