Jehovah Must Be Real to Us

The apostle Paul wrote of Moses that "he continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible."  (Hebrews 11:27) Of course, Moses never actually saw Jehovah.  (Exodus 33:20)  But Jehovah  was so real to him that it was as if he saw Him. Similarly, after his trials, Job's eyes of faith saw Jehovah more distinctly, as a God, who allows his faithful servants  to undergo trials but who never forsakes them.  (Job 42:5)  It was said of Enoch and Noah that  they 'walked with God.'  They did this by seeking to please God and obey him.  (Genesis 5:22-24; 6:9, 22; Hebrews 11:5, 7) If Jehovah is as real to us as he was to Enoch, Noah, Job, and Moses, we will "take notice of him" in all our ways, and he will "make [our] paths straight." -Proverbs 3:5, 6. 

Just before the Israelites were due to enter the Promised Land, Moses counseled them:  "After Jehovah your God you should walk, and him you should fear, and his commandment you should keep, and to his  voice you should listen, and him you should serve, and to him you should  cling."  (Deuteronomy  (13:4)  They were to follow Jehovah, fear him, obey him, and cling to him. With regard to the word here translated  "cling,"  one Bible scholar states that "the language indicates a very close  and intimate relationship."  The psalmist stated:  "The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to those fearful of him." (psalm 25:14)  This precious, close relationship with Jehovah will be ours if he is real to us and if we love him so much that we dread to displease him in any way. -Psalm 19:9-14. 

Next time: Are Your Aware of Jehovah's Care?

From the Watchtower magazine, 2002