December 11

Moses remained there on the mountain with the Lord forty days and forty nights. In all that time he ate no bread and drank no water. And the Lord wrote the terms of the covenant—the Ten Commandments—on the stone tablets. When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the Lord. Exodus 34:28-29

A few days ago we talked about Moses and the burning bush. Today’s scripture continues with his time in the desert after he had freed God’s people from Egypt. We see that God has taken care of Moses while he was on the mountain. Moses didn’t eat or drink for forty days in the desert, but our Lord sustained him. What do you think Moses did for those forty days? Did he lounge on a rock, chewing on a blade of grass? Probably not. If I were in the presence of the Lord like that, I would probably be on my face worshiping Him! But what is even more amazing is that Moses’ time with God was visually seen. He glowed with the glory of the Lord! Moses stayed with his God long enough and closely enough to have a physical result. 

Father, thank You for giving us this scripture, telling us how important it is to remain in Your presence and to stay close to You. My light will dim when I stay away from You too long. Hold my hand this day; let Your light shine through me. I love You, Lord. Amen. 

Eleventh-Day Activities

A light at night is a good thing. It keeps you from tripping over toys or stumbling over the pet. Maybe you and your family can make a candle to place in your window or on a shelf to help light the way. Just take a pint-canning jar. You can decorate it with spray paint or let the children paint decorations on it. You can choose gravel rocks from outside, paint them different colors, and then place them on the bottom of the jar. Then fill the jar about halfway with sand and place a tea candle in the sand. Tie a piece of ribbon around the top of the jar, and you’re ready to go! Be sure the candle is never left unattended. Tonight gather your family and turn out all the lights. Then light your candle. Talk to your family about how the light of Jesus can shine around us, just as the candle you made shine on the faces of your family.

Mary and Joseph might have had to climb some mountains to get to Bethlehem. Maybe in your house they can spend the night some place high, the top of a bookshelf, the top of a cupboard. Talk with your children about how hard it must have been to climb that mountain with Mary being so big with child and Joseph trying to so hard to make it as easy as possible. And it was probably cold for them. Maybe your children can choose a blanket to cover Mary and Joseph for the night.