In high school in the U.S., I heard this every day: “Have a goal.” It seemed obvious: you have to know where you’re going. But what happens when we reach our goal and it turns out that it’s not enough? A sermon about Israel, which received the promise of a land but realized that without God Himself, everything loses its meaning. This is a story about why, on our journey through life, it’s not the direction that matters most, but the One who walks with us. Listen to discover how to recognize God’s footprints even when the path we’ve dreamed of takes an unexpected turn.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Exodus 33 God promises Israel the land, an angel and victory over their enemies, yet says He Himself will not go among them. Why do you think the people responded by mourning and taking off their ornaments?
- Moses' prayer grows from "show me your ways" to "let your presence go with us" to "show me your glory." What does this progression reveal about what Moses is focusing on?
- Moses cannot appeal to the people's faithfulness, only to God's grace. What does the story of the golden calf and the renewed covenant tell you about how God treats your failures?
- When Moses asks to see God's glory, God answers that all His goodness will pass before him. How does this change your picture of God's glory and of what God's heart is inclined toward?
- The sermon says we can gain God's gifts and lose the Giver Himself, and that a reached goal can taste like defeat. Which goal in your life are you expecting to give you what only God can give?
- The speaker during the summer camps, and his brother David after losing his dream of serving, began to notice God's traces along the way. Where will you look for signs of God's presence in ordinary life this week?
