106_Please show me your glory

Ex 33:17-20 And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

There’s a story about a young artist who longed to capture the beauty of the world on his canvas. He traveled far and wide, painting landscapes, portraits, and scenes of great wonder. Yet, no matter how much he painted, something was missing. One day, he met an old master who looked at his work and said, “You paint with great skill, but you have not yet seen true beauty.” The young artist was puzzled. “What do you mean?” he asked. The master replied, “True beauty is not in the world around you—it is in the source of all things. Seek to see the light that gives life to everything, and your art will change.”

Moses’ request in Exodus 33:17-20 echoes the longing to see, not just the works of God, but to see God Himself. Moses had already witnessed extraordinary manifestations of divine power. He saw the burning bush, stood before Pharaoh as God’s messenger, and watched as the Red Sea parted before his eyes. He experienced God’s provision through manna in the wilderness, and water from a rock. He had ascended Mount Sinai and received the law directly from the Lord. But despite all this, he wanted more. “Please show me your glory,” he pleaded. It wasn’t miracles or wonders that he longed for—it was God Himself.

The Lord responded to Moses’ request: “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:19). These words arrest our attention for they do not promise what Moses had asked for. Instead, God revealed the root and source of his glory. He uncovered before Moses’ eyes His character, His goodness, and His mercy. God’s glory truly lies, not in displays of power, but in the very nature of God Himself.

God threatened to destroy the Israelites in the matter of the golden calf, but Moses had interceded for them. God spared his unfaithful people, but told them he would no longer be with them. Yet now, at Moses’ humble but agonized plea, God gives him a promise, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” He bound himself to see the Israelites through until he had fulfilled all that he had promised their fathers. Such is the power of heartfelt intercession in the will of God.

Moses witnessed firsthand that the glory of God radiates from His longsuffering mercy and the riches of his grace. The greatest revelation of God is not in the parting of the seas or fire from heaven, but in His steadfast love, His patience with sinners, and His humble willingness to forgive.

John writes of Jesus Christ, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14). We have received from God the knowledge that his glory is in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). In Christ, we see the imprint of the nature of God—His love, His compassion, His justice, and His mercy—in human form. The cross, where Jesus bore our sins, displays the glory of God in its fullest form, where he gave himself for his flock.

Moses was not content merely to see more miracles. His greatest desire was to see the unseen God. For the sake of the One whom he had not seen, he had dared the wrath of Pharaoh and patiently led an ungrateful and restless people through a hostile desert. He longed to understand the love of God, to understand His ways, and to walk in them. This is what it means to seek God’s glory. We do not want good food when we are filled with junk food. But when we realize one day that it is literally killing us, and that we have nothing else, we ask for help. When our own ways satisfy us, we do not want God’s nature to rule us. But when we finally realize that our sinful ways are killing us, we begin to thirst for God’s glory, we desire to learn his ways and walk in them.

True knowledge of God transforms us. “Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him. He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD (Jeremiah 22:15-16). The psalmist pleads with God: “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.” (Psalm 86:11-13). The greatest evidence that we have seen God’s glory is not the miracles and experiences we boast. It is the reflection of his nature in our everyday lives – His love, justice, and mercy – as we walk in the Spirit.

Micah 6:8 reminds us, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” The true revelation of God’s glory in our lives is not in how much we know about Him, but in how much we become like Him. The greatness of God’s faithfulness towards us, His constant love and willingness to forgive, and His desire to restore us are mirrored in our actions towards others. Knowing Him means walking in His ways, suffering long as he has borne with us for years and decades. It is forgiving as we have been forgiven, loving as we have been loved. As we seek His face, dwell in His presence, and allow His Spirit to shape us, we are transformed into His image “from one degree of glory to another.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“Please show me your glory,” is a prayer we should all pray. Let our lives be a reflection of His glory, as we live in obedience, love, and faithfulness, seeking His presence with simplicity and devotion. God bless.