Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Sabbath, October 7, 2017

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-10-07-2017

This is devotional thought number 24 in our devotional series, “Removing the Veil: Sanctuary Living in the 21st Century.” Our subject is: God Our Sustainer

Here’s the question for consideration: What does it take to experience the fullness of sanctuary living?

“And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.” (Exodus 24:18).

During our Essentials of Faith Series, I told you that I was a serial faster. I have fasted from all foods for 23 days before. I drank water and green drinks to sustain me. Fasting is not as crazy making as some would suppose, once you get the hang of it and your body is under subjection. However, I cannot even imagine fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. Think of the contrast here. Preceding this period, the men ate and drank in the mount. Then, all of a sudden, God welcomes Moses into the cloud, where he fasted cold turkey. Again, I am a serial faster. This boggles my mind. I know from experience that the first few days of fasting are incredibly difficult. I often say I cannot fast three days. It’s too difficult; but fasting for longer periods is easier as your body gets adapted to the cleansing and rest. I generally have to wean myself from regular foods for three to five days before going completely without food. This is why Moses’ experience is so amazing to me. Could it be that his experience had absolutely nothing to do with willpower, discipline, or preparing his body for a cleanse? Could it be that God sustained Moses through those days of fasting by means of miracle?

Moses was wise and disciplined enough, in the Spirit, to carefully follow each of God’s instructions as he prepared to meet Him in the cloud. He moved when God said move. He paused when God said to wait. He gave instructions to the people (more than once) when God said so. He ate and drank when God made provision. He waited for God in the stillness of the six days preceding his entrance into the cloud enshrouded throneroom of God. I wonder what he thought during that time. Did he sing? Did he speak? Did he resist the urge to pray? One thing we know for certain, he did not barge into the King’s presence due to impatience. He did not misinterpret the time of preparation for an invitation to impatiently preempt God’s invitation. The story of Esther emphasises what happens when a royal subject stumbles into the presence of the king without an invitation. The reward for Moses’ attention to detail and discipline in waiting, was the call into the most spectacular place he had ever seen or imagined—the living presence of the King of the universe. Meditate on that for a moment.

Here’s a lesson we all must learn from this part of the story: when we dwell in the secret place of the Most High (blessed be His name), He will sustain us miraculously. In the same way God protected Moses from hunger pangs, weakness, and clouded thinking as they communed, He will sustain you if you go boldly unto the throne of grace. There, you will find help in the time of need. God’s storehouse is without limits. All that you need, He can supply. And the great thing about this is, just as God sustained Moses so He could have his undivided attention, He offers the same to you. It’s difficult to hear from God when you’re worried about bills. Let Him sustain you. It’s difficult to understand the Word when you’re choosing to be stressed about the unknown. Let Him sustain you. It is impossible to get all God wants for you in prayer when your mind is cherishing doubts. Let Him sustain you. Moses was the embodiment of the...