ESOCS Devotional 27 January 2026 – Don’t Move Without Him
MEMORY VERSE: “Then Moses said to him, ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Exodus 33:15 NIV
TEXT: EXODUS 33:9-19
And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. 11 So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”
18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”
19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
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In Exodus 33:15, Moses makes a powerful declaration of dependence on God. Despite leading a nation and having access to divine promises, Moses knew that nothing mattered without God’s presence. His heart cry was simple: “Don’t let us go anywhere unless you go with us.” This is the posture every believer must adopt – one of total surrender and an unwillingness to proceed without divine guidance. God had promised the Israelites the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey. Yet, after their disobedience with the golden calf, God told Moses He would send an angel ahead but not go with them Himself (Exodus 33:1–3). For many, the land and its blessings would have been enough. But Moses knew better – the blessing is empty without the One who blesses.
The presence of God is everything: Moses understood that it wasn’t the land, the victory or the miracles that defined them; it was God’s presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “In Your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Without God, our achievements become hollow. With Him, even the wilderness becomes a place of purpose and peace. David echoed this dependence in Psalm 51:11, pleading, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.” He knew that leadership, success or even the throne meant nothing without God.
Dependence over independence: In our fast-paced, success-driven culture, we are often tempted to move ahead without waiting on God. We chase opportunities, make decisions, or enter relationships without consulting Him. Proverbs 3:5–6 offers a better way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When we move without God, we step into uncertainty. But when we wait for His presence, we walk in His wisdom and protection.
The Power of Seeking His Presence: God promises His presence to those who seek Him. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The early church understood this. Before stepping into ministry, they waited in the upper room until the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1:4–5, 2:1–4). They wouldn’t move without Him. Jesus Himself often withdrew to spend time with the Father (Luke 5:16). If the Son of God did not move without direction from the Father, how much more should we wait on God?
Reflections
- Are you rushing ahead of God?
- Are you making plans and asking Him to bless them afterward, or are you seeking His will first?
- The best plans, dreams, and opportunities are not worth pursuing if His presence isn’t there. Like Moses, we must resolve: “If you don’t go with me, I won’t go!”
Prayer
- Lord, I don’t want to move ahead of you or walk in my own strength. Teach me to wait on you, to seek your presence above all else. Go before me, walk beside me, and dwell within me. If you’re not in it, I don’t want it. Lead me by your Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Further Reading: Isaiah 39:1–End; John 13:21-35; Acts 7:59-End; 8:1-8
ESOCS Devotional 27 January 2026
