Devotion – Wednesday May 13 – God’s Glory Manifested Encourages Our Obedience

If I were to meet Roger Federer and he were to give me instruction on my tennis game, I would try to obey everything he taught me.  After all this is “Fed”, one of the greatest ever.  Glory and awesomeness strike us that way – leading us to try and obey.

We continue this week looking at God’s Glory manifested to people in the bible and to the response of those who experienced the manifestation.  As on Monday, I encourage you to use your imagination to put yourself in this scene.  Read through the text once, then go back and read again, imagining yourself right there in the midst of the presence of the very God of the universe.

The text we will look at today is Exodus 19:1-20, and finish with Exodus 24:3.  Chapter 19 tells God descending upon the Mount Sinai to speak to Moses after God has led His people out of Egypt and through the desert.  Read Exodus 19:1-20 through once, then go back and read 16-19 again.  Imagine yourself at the foot of the Sandias experiencing verses 16-19.

Initial Questions:

• What did you experience as read the text the second time? 
• Could you imagine the thunder and lightning on the mountain?
• Could you imagine the smoke wrapping around the mountain as the Lord descended in fire?
• Could you feel the mountain trembling?
• Could you hear the sound of the trumpet and God speaking in thunder?
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Now read Exodus 24:3. This verse captures the people’s response after experiencing the Glory of God descending on Mount Sinai. The manifestation of the Glory of God is like nothing else.  His Glory manifested results in reverence and awe and obedience because - how would you not want to obey the most awesome, glorious being in the universe.

Final Question:

Are you like me and forget or minimize the absolute Glory of God?  Just a few chapters after this scene (Exodus 32), the Israelites forget the manifestation of the Glory of God and become idol worshippers.  Even as believers, we seek after lesser things because we can’t hold on to God as most glorious.  Oh, how we need the Holy Spirit to remind us of the Glory of God as manifested in the bible.