Moses' Passion

I've got this whole 'Passion'-thing going on in my head now. I think it may be my theme heading into the new year. More Passion. A renewed fire. In my life. My ministry. The Church. Everything.

Moses was a man raised up by God and called to be the deliverer to lead God's people out of Egyptian bondage. After 430 years of slavery, what kind of a man would it take to lead as many as two million people through a desert to a land God had promised to their forefathers? A passionate man.

Early on, Moses' passions were raw and uncontrolled. When he saw an Egyptian abusing an Israelite, he killed the abuser and hid his body in the sand. He was temperamental with a side of nationalistic pride. He let his passion get the better of him. Forty years on the backside of the desert in Midian was what it took to harness his passion and make him usable to God's purpose.

In Exodus 33, Moses' passion is again on display; this time as he confers with the Lord "face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend." After receiving God's instruction, and His promise to accompany Moses and the people of Israel to the Promised land, Moses couldn't help himself. Having found favor with God, he had one more request (Exodus 33:18): Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"
He wanted more. More of God. Forget the journey. Forget his position. The Promised Land could wait. Nothing else mattered at that moment as this man of passion stood before his God. "Show me Your glory!" If you'll permit me to paraphrase: "I want to know You, Lord. I want all You've got for me. I'll not be satisfied to just hear from You or receive instruction from You. I want to see You. I want to see Your glory."

Moses' passion was finally channeled in the right way. He wasn't a passionate politician. He wasn't passionately nationalistic anymore. He was passionate about his God. And that made Moses the great man of God he was.