Daily Devotions

Exodus 33: 11

The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.

In this text, we see the privileged position of Moses which was that God had treated him as a friend. There was another man who had this privilege and that was Abraham whom God also addressed as His friend.

Can we imagine that God came down from His throne room in heaven and was upon the earth and spoke with Moses face to face. Of course God did not reveal His face but His presence was with Moses and they had a direct conversation with one another.

Moses did not talk to God through prayers as we would but he could talk to God as a friend. This was a unique relationship which God confirmed a second time when God reminded Aaron and Miriam of His relationship with Moses. In Numbers 12: 8 “with him I speak mouth to mouth, even manifestly, and not in dark speeches; and the form of Jehovah shall he behold; wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant, against Moses?”

In the New Testament we who are the believers of Jesus Christ are also considered His friends. In John 15: 12-13 “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Therefore Jesus who died for us on the cross has confirmed that He came to die for us who are His friends. Now as friends of Jesus we can also have the same privilege of communicating with Jesus on a one on one basis. He is not so far away that we do not know Him, though we may not physically see Him but just like Moses did, we can talk with Jesus on a personal basis because He is in our midst and he surely hears us.

This is the privilege that the world do not have; it is only to the believers who know Jesus Christ as their saviour and friend that we can bring all our needs to Him. Remember the hymn that we sign often in Church, ‘what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and sorrows bear. What a privilege to bring all our needs to Him in prayer.’