Curious About God’s Presence EGP Blog post from March 3, 2019

“Something so simple as Moses’s curiosity is what stepped him into his future. I cannot stress enough, the curiosity that is important—and I want to imply is even required—to step into the presence of God. … You see, a future without His presence, you’ll have to sustain it. A future with His presence, He will sustain it.” —Eric Johnson, Bethel Church, “Hello Future: His Promise or His Presence”

“Moses is doing his JOB as a shepherd and he NOTICES this bush burning. The Bible says Moses noted … it was ON FIRE, but wasn’t being CONSUMED. … We have to understand that Moses did not turn because God SAID, ‘Moses, Moses.’ That’s EASY. How many know that when God SAYS your name, it’s like, ‘Yeah? Yes, yes? I’m here! I’m here!’ That is so EASY. ‘In fact, I will cancel the rest of my life because You’re here now.’ That is not what happened. … Something so simple as Moses’s CURIOSITY is what stepped him into his FUTURE.

I cannot stress enough, the CURIOSITY that is IMPORTANT—and I want to imply is even REQUIRED—to step into the PRESENCE of God. … Now I’ll be honest, there have been times when I’m curious and there’s no voice. … I don’t want to LOSE that curiosity. I don’t want to do that ten times and then go, ‘No, I’ve seen THAT bush before.’ … He’s waiting to see if you’ll look AGAIN. He’s actually wanting to see: are you CURIOUS enough to look? …

How would it be if … the Lord says, ‘Hey, I have some news for you. The PROMISE I just spoke over you a long time ago, I’m gonna send an angel before you and he’s gonna destroy EVERY OBSTACLE. You can GO.’ We’d be all, ‘YES! Where were you twenty years ago? But I’m thankful you FINALLY showed up.’ … Who wouldn’t be EXCITED about that? But that is not Moses’s response. Moses is like, ‘Wait, wait, wait. Time out. Did you say You’re NOT going?’ And God said, ‘I’m not going.’ … And Moses says, ‘If YOU’RE not going, I’M not going.’ … Moses has the promise here that every obstacle will be removed. … But God says, “I am not going.’ And Moses had to make a DECISION. ‘Do I GO? Or do I stay with HIM?’ …

How many times in life are we presented with, ‘I’m going to achieve my PROMISE, but I forgot the PRESENCE’? Because when you’re in MOMENTUM, you’re like, ‘Yes! Here it is HERE! Yes! FAVOR! Yes! DO IT!’ But we’re so FRACTURED, we are so DISTRACTED, especially in today’s culture. … In fact, I don’t think we’re even CURIOUS anymore. I think we’re so WORN OUT, and we’re just trying to get our ATTENTION back. … I want to be able to PRAY for 60 seconds and not be DISTRACTED. … If that is the case, then how good are we at PAYING ATTENTION if God is coming with us or not? …

You might be asking, ‘How do I KNOW? How do I know if God’s presence is WITH me?’ … You see, a future WITHOUT His presence, YOU’LL have to sustain it. A future WITH His presence, HE will sustain it.”

Key verses

Exodus 3:1–6; Exodus 33:1–3, 12–18; Deuteronomy 8; Isaiah 46:3–4