The Heart of a Revivalist

"You can give me everything, but without your presence, Jesus, it is all meaningless!

Moses set a precedence of one who had the heart of a revivalist. He manifested a surrendered heart, in love with and completely dependent on Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

In Exodus chapters 32-33, The Lord reveals to us His character; by not relenting on His promises, even though the Israelites had sinned in the Lord's sight with the Golden calf,

After the Israelites replaced their worshipping God by forming, erecting, and worshiping a golden calf, The Lord told Moses that His presence would depart from them and that He would no longer go with them on their journey into the promise land. The Lord said He would "send an angel to go in His place." The Lord said, "The angel would keep them and take them into the land flowing with milk and honey."

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These words the Lord spoke were gut-wrenching to Moses and the Israelites. These words pierced and exposed their hearts. Even though the Lord was keeping His promise, His presence would no longer be with them. 

Once they realized God's presence would depart from them, they began to humble themselves in obedience and mourn the loss of The Lord's presence. One would ask, what is an angel compared to God Himself? 

Amid the sadness, loss, and mourning. Moses rose with fervent spontaneity for the Israelites to be reconciled back to God! He set up a "tent-of-meeting" outside the camp, indicating the separation of God's presence from His people. Through Moses's pursuit of God's presence, restoration began manifesting in the camp,

As Moses entered the tent of meeting and pursued God's presence, the people's hearts rose in worship. At that moment, the beginnings of revival were ignited in their hearts by returning to worship the one true God.

"One would ask, what is an angel compared to God Himself?" 

Moses cried out to God; I will not go without you!​ Moses was adamant in his pursuit of God's presence. He wanted the Israelites to be reconciled and restored to right standing with God. Moses reveals through his petition and pursuit of God's presence that he was not self-reliant; he knew his source and resource.  

Moses pressed into God, reminding Him of those words He had spoken to him and was looking for a guarantee. Moses wanted God to know His heart cry, that he would not leave where they were if God did not go with them. Moses was not bound by fear; he was bound by passion! Passion for God's people to be Identified by their God.

Moses knew he was not the source of the power that freed the Israelites from Pharaoh's bondage, nor was he the power that parted the Red Sea to cross over. He knew their power, authority, and identity came through the one true God. He knew that their real identity and power source would be manifest for all to see in God's presence.

"I will not go without your Presence!"

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My prayer is that we will become those who burn and yearn for the presence of Jesus Christ. That we would exchange our hearts for His heart. Our desires for His desires. Our passions for His passions. That we return to our first love in a greater measure and desire His heart of reconciliation.

That we will not pursue things in this life without Him. That the spirit of self-reliance, individualism, and independence are broken off us! That we will be the ones who say, "You can give me everything, but without your presence, Jesus, it is all meaningless!"

Lord, bring us back to our first love, Jesus Christ. Bring us back to a heart of worship. Reveal to us that we need you in every detail of our lives. May we not be seekers of what you can do for us, but we are those who desire, seek, and pursue your presence!

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Pursuing Him.

Tammy Brunk