Let Me See Your Ways

Friends and family are hands down what keeps me steady in this crazy life—other than God, of course. Over the years many have come and gone, but the ones who have remained all have one character trait in common: they know how to love. Not just by their words, because that is a very simple thing to master. No, these friends love first with their actions, and their words are a confirmation of who they are.

All throughout the Bible we see some pretty spectacular friendships. Some are good like Elijah and Elisha, and some are not so good, like Ahithopel and King David. It’s easy to spot the friendships that bear fruit because they all have one thing in common: they seek to serve each other. This is what Christ said his followers would be known by—the way they treat each other and the way they love.

One of my favorite relationships we see in Scripture is between God and Moses. Now I know this sounds like a textbook answer, but hear me out. Even through all of his flaws, God had a special soft spot in His heart for Moses. Time and time again, we see God show His love to Moses in tangible ways, and there is no reason to expect God to act any differently toward us.

 Exodus 33 has an amazing story to show how the Creator of the universe wants to interact with us. Here is the scene. Moses has the tent of meeting (tabernacle) set up, and God descends on it in a pillar of cloud. The whole congregation is gathered around watching and worshiping. Starting in verse 11, we get these beautiful sentences:

 “And the LORD spoke with Moses face to face, as a man talks with his friend…
Moses:  “...let me see your ways…”
And the LORD said, ‘I myself will go with you and give you rest’.”

Can you imagine what that would be like? To be able to audibly commune with God? Thinking about that fills me with so many thoughts and questions. What would I want to talk about? What would I want to ask? Knowing me, it would be something about why this life is so hard, or why I have so much heartache. Reading what Moses said to the LORD though makes me realize I need to re-examine my understanding of my relationship with God.

Moses said, “...let me see your ways…” He was talking directly to Yahweh, and his heart’s desire was to see His ways. ‘Show me how to be just like you God’ was the only thought on Moses’s mind. Teach me how to love like you, how to treat others, how to serve. Moses even goes on to say in verse 15, “If you yourself are not going with us, do not send us on from here.” He was so overtaken by the goodness of God that he was fine staying in the wilderness if it meant God stayed with them. God’s response blows me away. He tells Moses that He knows him by name.

Without getting too technical, to “know” someone in the Bible means more than just recognizing who they are. It is a close and intimate relationship between two people. Adam “knew” Eve, Abraham “knew” Sara, Joseph “knew” his brothers, but they didn’t take the time to know him back, and here God knows Moses. God is able to see Moses, and Moses is willing to be vulnerable with Him. Moses puts his trust in God and trusts His words. Sometimes I forget that God is actively trying to engage with me on an emotional level, too. Here we see Him doing this with Moses.

The unique relationship that we see between God and Moses shows a give-and-take quality to their relationship. Moses is obedient to God and wants to learn more about how to please the LORD and how to be like Him. God is indeed pleased with Moses and his desire to serve Him. Even though this is a master and servant relationship, God wants it to be more. He desires a friendship, but one focused on true and righteous love and backed up with actions.

When we get to the New Testament teachings of Jesus, we have Him teaching His disciples how He wants friendship with them---not just subjects. A servant is required to do the will of his master, but a friend chooses to serve his friend. Jesus isn’t looking for people to just do what He says; He’s looking for friends willing to live like He lived, to serve like He served, and to love like He loved.

We can see how the love of Christ changes the heart and actions of a person in the conversion story of Paul. Rabbi Paul was engrossed with politics and serving his own desires. One fateful day he met a man from Nazareth. Within four days he was preaching in the synagogues about the love of that man he met on the road. It was revealed to Paul that there is more to loving God than saying it with his lips. He had to prove it with his actions. Just as Jesus showed His love through death and proved His love through the way He treated His friends, Paul mirrors this message throughout his ministry.

I struggle sometimes when I read the Scriptures because I fail to put humanity into the text. I find myself reading over verses that are soul-crushing for the person I am learning about, and not taking the time to “feel” with them. When I read “Jesus wept”, do I take the time to consider how I would feel if my friend died? When I read that Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, do I think about how I would react if it was me and I saw my brothers years later in need?

If indeed the Spirit is with me, I would have the same reaction as Jesus. I would weep. If I have the love of God in me I would forgive and serve my brothers as Joseph did. If I seek to know God, I would forsake my life to tell others about His goodness just like Paul. It is my heart’s desire to not only know God but to call Him friend.