Scripture
Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Observation
Moses and the elders had already had a revelation of the presence of God. But now God calls Moses higher, into the cloud of the presence, to meet with God face to face. He stays there forty days.

Application
There are two things to note in this passage.

Firstly there are different intensities of God's presence, or different ways in which we experience Him. Some are content to view the consuming fire at a distance- worshipping in awe perhaps but afraid or unwilling to get too close. Others, like the elders, don't mind the occasional formal dinner and light show. Very few are like Moses who was determined to press into the secret place, the place of intimacy and true relationship. Since the curtain in the Temple was torn at the time of Jesus' death, we now can enter into that place at any time.

The second thing to note is that this takes time. Moses sat on the mountain for six days looking at the glory of God, and then he entered in for forty days. In our fast-paced world, who wants to put their lives on hold for seven weeks to do something as trivial as entering the place of God's glory?

To really become intimate with God takes determination, courage and time.

Prayer
Lord, help me to develop that “whatever it takes” attitude when it comes to developing intimacy with you. Please heal my fears and remove my distractions so that I can be like Moses, a “friend of God.” Amen.