LLively

Pure in Heart

by
Lynn Lively
Carmichael Baptist Church

Moses’ prayer to God as the wilderness journey continues.

Exodus 33:12,13 "And Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people."

When God choose Moses to take on the tremendous task of leading the people out of Egypt and into the Promise Land he called on a man with a humble heart. In looking at Moses’ prayer of Exodus 33:12-13 the one word that jumps out is humility. He did not remind God of where he was raised and educated. He didn’t need his former stature to strengthen his position with God. In this instance Moses didn’t come to God throwing things in God’s face, "You called me to do this job, I didn’t ask for it." Moses didn’t blame God, "You brought me out here-now what are you going to do?" He didn’t whine to God, "I am having so much trouble with this stiff-necked people." He throws himself at God’s mercy and begs for grace. This prayer was from a pure heart.

Let’s look at his prayer and see his heart in the words Moses says to God.

Moses wants to please God and do things God’s way - "See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know who thou wilt send with me."

Moses reminds God of God’s grace – "Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight." Moses lets God’s grace proceed him.

Moses was unassuming – "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight." Now this was the same man that God spoke to from a burning bush, sent back to Egypt to Pharaoh and the same man God used to perform miracles but Moses was still unassuming. He said, "if" I have found grace, not "since" if have found grace.There is something very humble and pure about these words.

Moses was seeking to know God more – "that I may know thee" Don’t sweethearts want to know everything about each other? Aren’t we hurt when our mate doesn’t know what will please us? Moses wants to know more about God.

Moses was seeking more grace in God’s eyes – "that I may find grace in thy sight."

Moses prayed for these people – "consider that this nation is thy people". He pleads for these stiff-necked people that don’t readily listen to him or to God.

As Moses is praying this prayer, he is talking to the Lord face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. He is pleading for a people that in one sense we could call his enemy. They have yelled at him, and accused him, when in Egypt. They have gone their own way and complained repeatedly in the wilderness. The God in heaven, who loves them, sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt in answer to their prayers. Moses’ heart was free from bitterness, anger and pride. Moses is humbly asking God’s direction and help.

Moses’ prayer is as a child’s prayer. He was coming to God with no pretence, no guile, no pride, just simple openness and purity, as a child. The other night my two-year-old granddaughter was praying her nightly prayer before bed. She prayed, "God bless Mommy, real bad." Her whole heart was in her request. She knew "real bad" goes at the end of an intense sentence. God heard that prayer and loves to hear our prayers coming from a pure heart.