The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex. 33:14)

People take vacations all the time. Anyone who’s ever had the joy of a week-long honeymoon or vacation can admit that upon return there was a desire for a vacation from the vacation. Vacations are billed as restful events in the presence of loved ones, but they have a tendency to be more stress than they’re worth. There’s the cost, the packing, the “are we there yets,” and the dread of the inevitable end.

As much love as one might have for a spouse or children, the prevalence of rest in their company is rare. Not so with God. Moses had the joy of speaking face-to-face with Him, and that gave him much boldness in his requests. However, the greater thing to note here is that God spoke to Moses and quite frequently granted those requests. God was with Moses and the Israelites, and He had great plans for them, not the least of these being rest.

God has no favorites. Those same things He did, said, and promised then are equally attainable today. Sadly, Christians tend not to invest nearly the amount of time it takes to develop a close friendship with God. Good relationships are never one-sided; time, effort, and devotion must be employed to grow them. Of course, human friendships will often offer everything but rest. Not so with God.

Spend some time in your prayer closet today to build your friendship with the Father.

Ginny Mink is a wife and mother of two. She finds great joy in serving the King with the talents He’s given her.