These verses are so relevant to our times.

“Moses said to the LORD, ‘Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, LORD, are with these people and that you, LORD, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.’ “

Numbers 14:13-14 NIVUK

Bear with me and let me explain their context first.

These verses come just after the spies have been in the promised land, and 10 spies returned scared by the power of the nations in the land God had promised to give them, and only Caleb and Joshua had seen that God was able. Moses is pleading with God, and reminds himself, and all God’s people, in his prayer of all God has already done in prepare for them taking the land.

The nations had heard that God was with them. They had heard that they spoke with God “face to face“. They had heard of His power among them. They had heard that He leads them. God had already prepared their hearts to fear Him and fall before Him as His people went to occupy the land.

But God’s people didn’t see it themselves! All they saw was the size of the opposition, not the power of their God.

As we are about to come out of Lockdown, as God’s people are about to return to their workplaces, as we are about to meet many more people each day, I wonder if we are aware that we are in the same position. People have heard that We have met with the living God and seen Him “face to face“. People have heard of His power that has forgiven, redeemed and set free, people have heard of His mighty work transforming sin-scared lives. Yes, the opposition looks powerful, unconquerable, and today’s humanist-secularist world is fiercely opposed to God’s people. But He has gone before us. It’s His Kingdom that will be victorious. It’s His message of good news that will reach others and transform lives. It’s the gates of Hell that constantly fall.

So, let’s see as Moses saw – all that God had already done to prepare the way of victory. Unashamed, undefeated, unshackled, emboldened by the presence and power of the Spirit, as churches and individuals this is a time of opportunity with a promise of ultimate victory. How we need to hear God’s call to enter into His gospel work seeing all He is and confident in all His power, so that His Kingdom purposes may be accomplished through us in our days.