18th October 2026
My presence will go with you
The Lord [said], ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’
Exodus 33:14 (NIVUK)
There are moments in life when we become deeply aware of how much we need God. We may have been made redundant and face an uncertain future. We may have been diagnosed with cancer and have a difficult decision to make regarding treatment. We may have a demanding responsibility at work and are feeling stressed. Or we may simply feel weary from trying to navigate life and need some rest. In such moments, we can easily imagine that what we need most is a clearer plan, greater strength, or reassurance that everything will work out as we hope; yet, when Moses asks God to accompany Israel, God gives him something far more profound: his presence.
The context of Exodus 33 is important. In chapter 32, Israel had sinned by worshipping the golden calf. Their relationship with God appeared to be in jeopardy, and Moses was understandably concerned about what would happen next, but in the header scripture, God’s response is striking: ‘My Presence will go with you’. This reveals something fundamental about God’s relationship with his people: his presence is not merely a reward for good behaviour. Nor is it something we earn by getting our lives sufficiently organised or spiritually disciplined. God’s presence flows from who God is in loving communion as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and from his gracious desire to share his life with humanity.
For Christians this promise finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ: the God who promised his presence to Israel has come among us in the person of Jesus. In Christ, God does not remain distant from humanity, he enters fully into our human existence. Jesus is Immanuel – ‘God is with us’, and he has not left us to manage God’s presence on our own: the Holy Spirit is with us and in us, continually drawing us into participation in the Son’s relationship with the Father. God’s presence, therefore, is not simply something external that accompanies us on our journey; through the Spirit we participate in the communion of Father, Son and Spirit.
With God’s presence comes his promise: ‘I will give you rest’ (Exodus 33:14). This rest is more than just the absence of activity or trouble; it points to the deep peace of belonging to God. Our rest is not ultimately found in having control over circumstances, but in knowing that God is with us and for us in Christ. This changes the way we approach discipleship – we do not begin each day wondering, ‘How can I make God come near and be in his presence?’ We begin with the good news that God has already drawn near to us in Christ, so that we live continually in the presence of God.
Whatever lies ahead, take heart, you do not walk into tomorrow alone. The God who went with Israel is the God who has come near to us in Jesus Christ and who, through the Holy Spirit, shares his life with us. You do not have to manufacture God’s presence, earn his favour, or carry the weight of the journey by yourself: Christ is with you, the Spirit is at work within you, and the Father holds you in his love. Therefore, go forward today with confidence, not because you know exactly what tomorrow will bring, but because you know who goes with you. His presence is your assurance, and his rest is your gift.
Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that in Jesus you have drawn near to us, and that through the Holy Spirit you remain present with us. Help us to rest in your grace rather than striving to secure what you have already given us in Christ. Teach us to participate in Jesus’s life and mission today, trusting that your presence goes with us. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
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Study by: Barry Robinson About the author: |
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Local congregation:
Grace Communion West Hampstead
Sidings Community Centre
150 Brassey Road
West Hampstead
London
NW6 2BA
Meeting time:
Sunday 12.30 pm
Local congregational contact:
Gordon Brown
gordon.brown@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church