The promise or the presence?

I'm speaking at the church service in Falkirk this morning. It's become kind of a tradition that I take the service on the first Sunday of every new year. This year, I felt that God challenged me with a little insight from Exodus chapter 33, and the question of what we really care about most for 2013: the promise of God (His blessings) or the presence of God (His closeness in all circumstances)?? Sometimes, if we're honest, Christians can be more focused on having an easy life, a blessed life, than on having the presence of God with us even in the hard times.

When God tells the people of Israel (because of their sin in worshipping a golden calf) that He will still give them the promised land and still give them victory over their enemies, but that they'll no longer have God's personal presence with them.... Moses says no. He says, "I'd rather stay in the wilderness with the presence of God, than go up into the promised land and live the good life without the presence of God." Knowing the presence of God in all situations is the only thing that really makes a major difference in our lives - the only thing that makes us different from people who live without an awareness of God's presence.

If you've come to this blog today because you want the first Bible reading booklet for Challenge 2013, just keep scrolling down. You can download the booklet, either in Spanish or English, from my blog posting for 30th December. Enjoy your reading, and may you find that it helps you know the presence of God in this new year.