Reaching The Heart of God
Daily Rays of Hope #148
14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
We know that God is not a man that he should lie neither the son of man that he should change his mind. However the prayers of Moses in this chapter of scripture appealed to the heart of God to go with the Israelites into this strange land flowing with milk and honey.
We see many times in scripture where the intercessor prayed for themselves and for others and God turned His heart towards those who prayed. We see the same when Hezekiah is given an edict of death from The Lord and then he turns his face to the wall. In doing so, he appealed to the heart of the Father and received an additional 15 years of life.
2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord,
3 And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
4 Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying,
5 Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. - Isaiah 38:2-5 KJV
Likewise, when Moses prayed on behalf of the congregation in the Tabernacle and Exodus 33, God turned his heart and gave Moses the opportunity to see Him. First, He agreed to go with Moses and the congregation on their journey to the promised land despite the concerns of God that the Israelites were a stiff-necked people and that He may destroy them. He turned his heart at the prayers of Moses and agreed to go with them on the journey.
Second, after Moses asks for the ability to see the Glory of God, God grants Moses the ability to only see a part of Him as no man could see the face of God and live.
19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” - Exodus 33:19-20 NIV
We see in the scripture that the favor of God was upon the life of Moses. We see that God knew him intimately. The scripture says that God knew him by name. As we walk with God through our lives, the desire should be that God would know us and that we would know God.
The goal in your walk with God is to sit with Him and to trust in him. In the presence of God is the fullness of joy. Sit in this joy and rest in God's presence so that you can effectively reach the heart of the Father through prayer for yourself and for others. This ability to intercede and trust in the Lord and see things change comes with an earnest heart to please the God who created the universe and everything in it.
Three Practical Ways To Apply This Scripture Today:
1. Start Your Day with Presence, Not Pressure
Make Room for Rest Before the Rush
Before checking your phone or diving into your to-do list, take time to simply be with God. Sit quietly, invite His presence, and ask Him to go with you into the day. Read a short passage of Scripture and pray, not out of obligation but from a place of longing. Let Him lead your thoughts before anything else does. This practice helps you walk in awareness of His nearness, not the noise of the world.
Try this: Begin with 5–10 minutes of stillness and whispered prayer:
“God, go with me today. I want Your Presence more than progress.”
2. Practice Rest as a Form of Faith
Trust God by Choosing Peace Over Performance
The promise of “I will give you rest” isn’t just about sleep—it’s about spiritual trust. Throughout the day, take intentional pauses to remind your soul that God is in control. Don’t let hustle become your identity. Resting—even briefly—is a declaration that God is your source, not your effort. You can exhale, because He’s already gone ahead of you.
Try this: Schedule one 10-minute “reset break” each afternoon. No scrolling. Just breathe, recenter in God’s presence, and thank Him for walking with you.
3. Intercede from a Place of Intimacy
Pray Bold Prayers Because You’re Close, Not Just Desperate
Moses’ intercession moved the heart of God because it came from relationship. When we prioritize time with God, we begin to know His heart—and our prayers align with His will. Make intercession part of your daily walk. Don’t wait until crisis strikes. Pray for others with the expectation that God listens, responds, and even shifts direction. Let your prayers come from a heart that sits regularly in His presence.
Try this: Keep a small prayer list and revisit it daily. Pray over people and situations believing that God’s Presence brings peace and change.
Final Encouragement:
Living out “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” is less about striving and more about surrender. As you cultivate stillness, trust, and intimacy with God, you will discover a peace that surpasses understanding—and a powerful prayer life that reaches the heart of the Father.