Do we yearn after God?

In my studies for my Wednesday night sermon for this week, on top of my already pre-determined convictions for the church as a whole, God gave me an incredible example in His word of how we need to seek after Him, in fact yearn after Him.

In Exodus 33:12-23 we find God's servant Moses coming to him with a longing spirit. Now Moses had already received the 10 commandments from God, and come down and broken them because of his anger towards the Israelites worshiping an idol. Now Moses is going back to God and wanting to see God, wanting to know Him in such a deeply personal way.
v. 12 & 13, is such a bold statement from Moses to God, but it is such a good word.(12) Then Moses said to the Lord, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people!' But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, 'I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight. (13) Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people."

Moses is interceding on behalf of his people, and asking God to continue to be with them (even though they have just bowed down to a false god.)

And in the next several verses we find God promising to continue to be with them and allowing the nation of Israel to be in His presence.

But the awesomeness has yet to happen. Next is what gets me, in verses 18-21. (18) Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" (19) And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." (20) But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!

God listens to Moses' plea, and basically let's him know that He's in control, and that Moses is in His favor, but because that "He" is holy, and set apart no man can see Him and live.

The pure awesomeness of God is to much for our minds to comprehend.

But that is the God that loves us enough to want a personal relationship with Him, and we see Moses yearning to know Him more.

God was not telling Moses that he couldn't have that relationship, but that he couldn't see His face. We need to have that same yearning to know God more, and He will reveal Himself to us in His time.