Exodus 33 & 34: Will God Be Gracious To You?
Verse of the Day: (33:19) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
    
1. Gracious (33:1-23)
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. (33:9)

It is God’s grace and goodness that we wake up every day and be up and running, yet many still do not acknowledge that there is a God who is our Creator and Maker of our lives. During Moses’ time, many people also did not acknowledge God, and God showed His wrath and judgment upon them. However God was gracious and merciful to Moses and those who trusted and obeyed Him. In fact, God talked to Moses face to face when he was inside His tabernacle, and told him that He shall send an angel before him and the people of Israel to drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite so that they shall occupy their land which was filled with milk and honey. Indeed, God is gracious and merciful only to all who fully trust and obey Him.

2. Goodness (34:1-9)
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (34:6)

Let us remember that God is merciful, gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, and He desires to bless us only when we believe that He is the true and living God. Though the people of Israel time and again rebelled and sinned against God, yet God was full of grace and goodness toward them, and forgave their sins. However, God eventually judged and punished them as they took His grace and goodness for granted.  
 
3. God (34:10-35)
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: (34:14)

God is a jealous God, and His jealousy is different from man’s jealousy. Man’s jealousy is selfish and possessive, while God’s jealousy is grace and goodness, as He desires that all His people created in His image to acknowledge and believe in and seek Him first before everyone and everything else. However, during the time of Moses, just like today, the people failed God as they sought the lust of their eyes, the lust of their flesh, and the pride of their life, instead of seeking God and His righteousness. Let us choose to seek God and His righteousness first, so that His grace and goodness be upon us and our families, because our lives truly belonged to Him and Him alone. (Matthew 6:33-34)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I am saved by Your amazing grace and goodness.