SO THE LORD PROMISED MOSES, AND SO HE PROMISES US. Let us never venture anywhere if we have reason to think the Lord will not favour us with His presence there. The Lord's presence produces holiness, imparts power, fires with zeal and fills the breast with comfort, joy, and peace. His presence is our glory and it will yield us support under losses, setbacks, and bereavements. Let us plead for the Lord's presence to go with us; let us expect it; let us not be satisfied with anything else. He went with Moses and he persevered; with Joshua and he conquered; with David and he reached the throne; with Paul and he was more than a conqueror. Nothing can substitute for the Lord's presence and as it is so graciously promised, let us not attempt to find a substitute, but daily cry, "If Thy presence go not with me, carry me not up hence." Jesus has said, "If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."

For Meditation:
O Lord, be ever near us,
Fix in our hearts Thy home:
By Thine appearing cheer us,
And may Thy kingdom come;
Fulfil our expectation,
And help our souls to prove,
Thine uttermost salvation,
Thine everlasting love.