In verse 11 we read that God spoke with Moses as a friend. Now we see the reality of that friendship. Moses asks God how the promises to him will work out. God had given him a task, and had promised him favour, but He hadn't told Moses how this would all transpire. In particular He has said He would send an angel with them, but this was not good enough for Moses.
Moses asks God to teach him His ways. This is a constant refrain in the Psalms as well, and it should be a repeated prayer of ours too.
"My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest". The presence of the Lord is what we need. No matter what we face in life, if we have the presence of the Lord with us then we can handle anything.
God had promised that His presence would be with Moses, but Moses insists that is must be with all the people. The presence of God was the only thing that could distinguish the Israelites from all other peoples. In our lives it is the presence of the Lord that makes the difference. No religious or spiritual technique, no type of music, no other cultural difference is enough. The presence of the Lord is to by our hallmark.
Jesus said that He would answer all our prayers asked in His Name, and here we see an example of this. God promises that He will go with the people.
The implication of this chapter is that if Moses had not asked of God, then God would not have gone with the people. There are things that God will only do in response to prayer. We need to be a people who ask.
Moses then asks to see God's glory. God cannot fully grant this. It is only at the end of time that we will see God face to face.
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