Exodus 33:9-11. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
What is your relationship with God like? That relationship shapes the way you speak to Him and the way He speaks to you.
In Today’s Word, we see an extraordinary reality: the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Their conversation was not distant or formal. It was marked by trust, openness, and deep understanding of one another’s heart. Moses could talk to God about anything, and God would reveal His plans to him.
Because Moses knew God’s heart, he prayed with boldness. He interceded for the people of Israel when they had sinned, and God responded to his prayers and relented from the judgment He had spoken (Exodus 32:14). This was not because Moses altered God’s eternal plan, but because God delights to work through the prayers of His friends, inviting them to participate in His purposes.
Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush on Mount Horeb marked a turning point in his life. Having experienced the awesome presence of the Lord, meeting with God became his highest priority. Prayer was not an occasional religious activity for him—it was his life. His leadership, decisions, and identity all flowed from the time he spent with God. When he returned from these meetings, his face shone with the glory of God, and the people bowed down and worshiped the Lord.
Through his relationship with God, Moses came to understand the ultimate purpose of all God’s work—the fulfillment of His covenant of Christ and world evangelization. This understanding became his reason for living. Every moment with God brought him deeper into the reality of that purpose.
He was an ordinary man, saved and chosen by God’s grace, just as you are. In Christ, you are washed in His blood, adopted into His family, and called His friend. Jesus said, “I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15). God wants to meet with you personally and reveal His heart to you.
His invitation is clear: “Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3). As He did with Moses, God can open your spiritual eyes to see the world through the lens of the gospel. As He did with Joseph, He can give you wisdom and solutions to meet the needs of a hurting world (Genesis 43:38-40). As He did with David, He can form in you the integrity and skill to lead others according to His heart (Psalm 78:70-72).
All of these servants of God shared one thing in common—they were people of prayer. For them, prayer was not merely pleading for help in crisis or presenting requests to God, but the daily joy of living in His presence. It was a continual fellowship with the One they loved most.
Do not leave His presence, even for a moment. You may not always be speaking words of prayer, but you can live with your heart in constant fellowship with Him before His throne. In that place, you will find the strength to overcome the ruler of the kingdom of the air and the ways of the world. You will see the kingdom of God advancing in every task, every decision, and every circumstance.
Prayer. Father, I thank You for calling me Your child and Your friend. Draw me nearer to You every day. Let me enjoy Your presence as Moses did, face to face. Teach me to listen to Your voice and to pray with boldness. May my life reflect Your heart so that others may see Christ in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.