Day 43 Bible Reading: Exodus 34, Matthew 27:1-31, Psalm 33:12-22 and Proverb 9:1-6 
Moses was clearly one of the greatest leaders of all time. And he made specific requests to God to help him lead the Israelites. The first was to ask God to teach him the ways of God. And then Moses asked God for His continual presence with him. In fact, his plea was that only if God’s presence was with him could he lead the Israelites to the Promised Land. Moses knew that the distinguishing mark of the people of God was the presence of God with them. Do we realise the importance of God’s presence with us? Do we really want His presence with us all the time?
"So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, 'I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.'" – Matthew 27:24 (English Standard Version)
"Lord God, let your presence be with us all the time through the Holy Spirit. We need your presence. We need you to lead and guide us. We need you to empower us to follow your direction. We need your presence to protect us. We need your presence to comfort us and to show your love for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
