January 28...

Exodus 18 and 19
Moses went to God and the LORD reminded him of the covenant. He reminded the Israelites of how He had delivered them from Egypt. He reminded them that if they obeyed Him and kept the covenant, that they would be His chosen people and a holy, or set apart, nation.
God set the stage. He wanted the Israelites to feel the awe of His presence and hear His voice. He wanted to remind them of who He was, and He wanted to restore their trust in their leaders, Moses and Aaron.
The people had to spend several days preparing to be in the presence of God. They had to make sure that they were physically clean and mentally prepared. They were given limits as to how close they could approach Him. Even the priests were given limits. And if they disobeyed, the consequence was death. God was serious about obedience and respect.
This was not just another day in the wilderness. God told Moses to bring Aaron up to the mountaintop with him, and the people waited with great anticipation.

think about it...
What would you have been thinking at this point at the base of the mountain?
How do you approach God?
Do you approach Him as the Almighty?
Have you ever been in awe of His presence? When?
Have you ever heard His voice?
Do you respect the limits He has placed or do you ignore His guidelines and do what you want?
Is God still as serious today about obedience and respect?