August 28, 2026
Friday, August 28
In Exodus 33, Moses asks to see God’s glory. In the very next chapter, God grants His wish. What happens to us when we see God’s glory? The short answer is that it changes us. Every person in Scripture who ever met God walked away changed forever. In Moses’ case, we see three specific changes.
First, we begin to put others ahead of ourselves. Remember what Moses was like when he first met God back in chapter 3? God called him to go rescue His people, and all Moses could do was make excuses. He didn’t want to risk his life for them. But as we saw last week, in chapter 32 he asked God to punish him and let the people go free. How did this volatile, selfish man change so radically? Chapter 33:7-11 says Moses had a special place, the tent of meeting, where he would go to meet with God, and the Lord would speak to him like a man speaks to his friend. All that time in the presence of God, seeing little bits of His glory, changed him from selfish to sacrificial, from cynical to heroic.
By the way, this journey with God started when Moses was 80. Never say, “It’s too late for me. I am who I am.” In fact, the older you are, the more powerful the impact will be if you start experiencing God’s glory for the first time. Think of how many people’s lives you’ll touch: Kids, grandkids, neighbors, friends, co-workers who will see this massive change in you.
Second, we start to care more about God’s mission than our own wish list. Notice, in 33:16, when Moses is telling God why He should forgive the people and restore the covenant, he says, “How else will we be distinct from all the other people on earth?” Moses knows the mission of Israel is to be a Kingdom of priests and a holy nation. They were supposed to show the world what God is like. People wouldn’t hear about Him if Israel didn’t fulfill their mission. And the mission was impossible unless God was with them. Don’t you see? Moses wanted God to stay with His people not because he was afraid of dying in the desert. He wanted God’s presence so God’s mission would be accomplished.
That shift doesn’t happen in us naturally. We tend to be utilitarian in our relationship with God. We care far more about our desires than His plans. But the more we see His glory, the more that changes.
A third change when we see God’s glory: We want more of Him. What inspired Moses to ask to see God’s glory? Scholars have lots of theories, but here’s the one I believe: When he asked the Lord to forgive the people and go with them to the Promised Land, he didn’t actually think God would say yes. They had completely broken faith. No way would a righteous God forgive them. So when God said, “Absolutely. I’ll restore the covenant and put all your failures in the past. You’ll be my people and I’ll be your God,” Moses was blown away. He wondered, “What else do I not know about you, Lord? I want to know it all!”
All through this week, I’ve made the point that seeing God’s glory is like sitting down to a feast by the world’s greatest chef. Every dish you try is better than the last one. You just want more. If you don’t have that kind of hunger for God, it’s because you haven’t tasted and seen how God He truly is. You’ve been filling up on junk food, and missing out on the feast. Consider praying what Moses prayed. In fact, let’s do that now.
“Lord, show me your glory. Not because I deserve it. But because I want to change. I want to put others ahead of myself. I want to care more about your mission than my wish list. I want to desire you above all else. So show me your glory, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
