“There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.”
Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/ecc.5.13-17.KJV
There's No Peace Without His Presence
Moses was standing in the middle of a desert—both literally and spiritually. The people had just rebelled against God by building an idol of a golden calf, and now their future felt uncertain.
Yet in this moment of deep tension, Moses makes a bold request: If God’s presence won’t go with them to their destination, Moses says, he’d rather not go at all.
It’s not that Moses didn’t want the promised land. But more than the land, more than progress, more than answers, Moses wanted God Himself. He knew that no amount of success, comfort, or direction could ever replace the nearness of the Lord.
There are seasons in life when we find ourselves in our own wilderness: confused, dried up, uncertain of the next step. In those moments, it’s easy to crave clarity. But what we truly need is God's presence, not just answers.
Peace doesn’t come from knowing the plan. It comes from knowing He is with us in it.
God's presence is our distinguishing mark. ...