The Real Reward

“Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no-one put on any ornaments.
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭3‬–‭4‬ ‭NIVUK‬

What a moment this was. After all their wandering, after all the miracles they’d seen—the plagues, the Red Sea, manna from heaven—God finally tells Israel to go up to the Promised Land. The land He’d promised Abraham. The land of blessing. But then He adds a chilling statement: “I will not go with you.”

Suddenly, the “milk and honey” didn’t taste so sweet anymore. The people were heartbroken. They mourned. They took off their ornaments—symbols of joy and celebration—and realised something profound: we don’t just want the blessings, we want Him.

This is one of the most beautiful turns in Israel’s story. For once, their priorities are right. They’ve learned that the land isn’t the prize—God is. Moses voices it perfectly when he says, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex. 33:16). It’s not their wealth, power, or success that sets them apart—it’s His presence.

That’s the lesson many of us need to relearn. Like the prodigal son, we can be tempted to chase the inheritance rather than the relationship. The son wanted his father’s stuff, but not his father’s heart. And when he got what he wanted, he discovered that without the Father, even a full bank account leaves you empty.

God told Abraham, “I am your exceedingly great reward.” (Genesis 15:1). Not the promise, not the land, not the fame—Himself. The greatest gift God can ever give you is not something from His hand but His presence.

When we start to value His gifts more than His company, we risk losing both. But when we prize His presence above all, everything else finds its right place. Like Moses, we must say, “If Your presence doesn’t go with us, we’re not moving.”

So today, don’t make your faith about “the stuff”—the provision, the ministry, the success. Make it about Him. Walk with Him in the cool of the day. Talk with Him as a friend. Let His presence be your home.

Because at the end of the day, milk and honey fade—but He endures forever. And He, dear friend, is your exceedingly great reward.

Today I am reminded that God is my exceedingly great reward (Genesis 15:1). My heart is not satisfied by outcomes, achievements, or answers alone, but by His presence. I seek the Lord not for what He gives, but for who He is. In His presence is fullness of joy and lasting satisfaction (Psalm 16:11). To dwell with Him, to behold His beauty, and to linger before Him is the reward my soul was created for (Psalm 27:4).

Today, I choose presence over provision, nearness over noise, and communion over striving. God Himself is my reward. In His presence, I am satisfied, secure, and deeply at rest.

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