Bibledoorajar: Moses, The Servant of God

We have been following the transformation of one sinful man into a true servant of God. Born with awareness that he was a Hebrew, Moses spent many years exposed to an opportunity to live as an Egyptian. First, he was saved by an Egyptian who exhibited compassion and tenderness for him. She saw that he was exposed to every power that can be claimed by earthly knowledge and reasoning.  Perhaps her goal was to obliterate from his memory that he was a Hebrew and to make his people of low account. Or, perhaps she just wanted the best for her adopted son. She was not afraid to expose him to his Hebrew roots as she did call in a Hebrew woman to nurture him. How much teaching did he get about the truths of faith during this time we do not know clearly. However, we do know that somewhere deep in all of his experiences, he shared his adopted mother's compassion for Hebrews in need. Everything within him wanted to smite the oppressor of the people of God. Smite. However, what he was yet to learn was that he really did not have within him the ability to deal with the consequences of smiting. Killing, he ran and came face to face with consequences he did not know how to handle.

But now, in the desert, Moses has been esposed to the staff of God. This support, this divine truth alone can smite and deal with all the consequences to bring forth justice and truth. This Divine truth will be the principle from which Moses has been called to lead. To this man who had grown up in Egypt where knowledge was so exalted and men who had power and position ruled without compassion, came the assurance of Divine Truth. God would prevail against evil. Moses would stand believing that He would deliver His people from bondage and deal with ALL the consequences that would follow.

Years later, the Greater Son, would come to show the world of God's provision for them against evil. Humans cannot prevail against it. Helpless, we like Moses, must "lean on the everlasting arms." He alone can deliver. Trust Him? That's the lesson that Moses had to learn. How about you?

Bibledoorajar Speaks of Resistance and God's Loving Kindness

Moses had received two signs to give him assurance that God would be the One who intended to use him to free His (his) people. But still Moses demurred at the suggestion that he could get the job done. This human failing is something that can push God's button and it did in this instance. God got angry with Moses' and his multiplying resistance. But here is the good thing; He also heard in Moses a cry for help. He listened as Moses commented on his poor speaking ability. God had found him adequate, but not Moses. So, O.K. Moses wanted eloquence. Take Aaron, your brother, with you. He can speak with eloquence, but he will not be empowered. The words for his eloquent speech will all have to come from you. You, Moses, will remain my mediator with Pharoah.

As members of the family of God, we all demure at times. We need someone else to shore us up to accomplish the task at hand. God may dislike the human failing of demurring , but His loving kindness  and goodness overcome it. He will bring a brother of sister along side, to help get the job done. I often teach a Women's Bible class with another. Our giftings are polar opposite, but she is much warmer and more outgoing than me. Together, the teaching that the Mediator loves to see happen in the church goes better. Human weaknesses? God has a solution. His Loving Kindness and Goodness can help any of us serve Him and how uplifting it is to see Him empower as only He can.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days, all the days, of my life."
                                               Psalm 23

Look behind you, see Goodness, see Mercy. Help is on the way!

Bibledoorajar: Peaceful Order Through Humility

Moses had been given the first sign. Surely, he felt the authority of God that would be given to him over the evil imposed on His (his) people. Moses was being reassured that God's authority would be exercised in Egypt. But there is something about the authority of God for us to consider and learn with Moses. 1 Peter 5 tells us that God raises up authority in DUE TIME. We can never forget the human difficulties each of us carries in our hearts that must be addressed before God can act through us.  To show Moses this, God asked him to put his hand near his bosom. Near his heart, the hand turned leprous. Leprosy is that horrible disease that God uses over and over to help His own learn the true condition of their heart. In order to gain God's peaceful authority our pride must be cast down. In its' place comes wisdom, faith and holiness within us. We haven't always understood that this effect comes in due time not arriving when we think it should. God's ways remain forever, not our ways. But surely, humbled Moses, could begin to see that the difficulties that possibly could be faced in Pharoah's court could not be outmatched by God's appointed time! How firm did Moses have to believe that God could handle things that he could not? Very. Unbelief, distrust and lack of faith torture we humans and distract us from whom He really is in our lives. There would be no time for Moses to doubt or worry in the courts of Pharoah. He saw the hand immediately become leprous and he saw the hand immediately become healed. This must have had a calming effect on poor human Moses. God, Himself, would elevate him as Mediator for His people.

Years later, Jesus would refer to Himself, saying He had to be lifted up even as Moses lifted up the serpent in the Wilderness. He had to be accursed and cast all His cares for the future on the Father without whom He said He could do nothing. No pride, no ambition, just waiting on the Power of God. Folks, that's a peaceful producing consideration is it not? Like Esther of old, having done all by placing ourselves in the Hand of God we wait for Him and Him alone to lift us up.

Moses and Aaron would not be the only ones who would have to experience this lesson. Even Pharoah would hear:  "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me."

Pride and humility. One must give way to the other in the lives of those who follow the Lord. "I am thine O Lord, I have hear Thy call, and it told Thy love to me...."

Bibledoorajar: All Will Be Well, or No?

Moses is trying to grasp just what God is asking him to do exactly and how he is to do it. Like us, Moses has his eye on himself rather than God. Finally, God puts the focus back on Him. Moses is leaning on the staff that supported him as he roamed the desert. God asked him to throw his support down to the ground. When he did it became a snake and Moses backed away from it. Then God asked Moses to pick the snake up by the tail (what's your humanity saying about now?). When he did, the snake returned to being a staff from which Moses could gain support. The sign conveyed the message that the power of God would make all things well. Much more power than Moses's natural ability would be present in the court of the Pharoah. At least Moses had the intestinal fortitude to pick up the snake! Sometimes that's our problem. That old snake comes around and we don't have the fortitude to pick it up with God's help and watch our situation change. There's a saying about keeping your eye on the ball. For the Christian, our biggest challenge is keeping our eye on our God. We forget He is unchanging and just as able as He was on the day he commissioned Moses. The interesting thing is that God's assurance of all being well depended on Moses leaning not on his own staff but the support of God. Years later, King David would put it this way: "Thy rod and Thy staff, comfort me."

In Bible class yesterday, we were discussing the fact that Paul told Timothy that he had not been given a spirit of fear but of self-discipline. We Christians cannot afford to let human fear stop us in our tracks. We have the God-given ability to fear God and to discipline ourselves to make way for the deliverance and achievements that He intends. Sometimes this is a struggle. As Jacob of old, we wrestle within ourselves. Praise God when we come out on the "right side"!

This staff to serpent and back again was a powerful sign for Moses, but it would take two more to convince him to affirmatively answer the question: "Will all be well, or no? Isn't it great that God is mindful or us and takes the time to reveal himself? Paul told the Romans in chapter 10 that it is with their heart that they believe. Is your heart in it or no?

Bibledoorajar: Can God Be Limited?

     “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.”

                                                                William Shakepeare

The time had arrived. It was God's intent to free his enslaved people---captives to be set free. And before him stands a man (Moses) giving all kinds of excuses as to why he is not the one to get the job done. Why God could have struck him and all his excuses dead in a minute! But instead God would not be limited by all the human reasons Moses gave to Him about his abilities. He listened patiently to all the difficulties Moses saw. Moses, once the young, lofty and quick to anger Egyptian prince, now wondered what ability he would have in the courts of Egypt. But God was quick to reassure him. HE would be with him. He not only would be with him, but He shared some of the mighty acts that He would be doing with Moses. And He told him that this would be a token unto Moses---that after the mighty acts that led to freedom of God's people were completed---he, Moses, would worship God there in that very place where they were talking. 

God's love for the captive, for Moses, would cover the multitude of sins and weaknesses that God had seen everyday in His people. His power would be with them. When they could not, He would. HE WOULD! What wonderful words. Yes, Shakespeare, there is great trouble within ourselves, but those of us who serve a Mighty Risen Savior have a powerful presence with us all the way. But we must see that great ability. As Jesus walked the land, there were many who wanted to follow Him, but when given the opportunity found all kinds of reasons why they could not proceed with Him. It is, after all, trust and obey. Do you believe He will go all the way with you and that one day you will worship Him face to face? Is, therefore, what is within in you, less of a limiting factor? 

            " Seeking You as a precious jewel

               Lord, to give up I'd be a fool
               You are my all in all."

                                                       Dennis Jernigan

Bibledoorajar: Moses, You, and the Glory of God

     When I was in Graduate School, my class was given an assignment of dissecting an autobiography of an individual in order to try and understand the life dynamics that led that particular person to impact society in the way that he did. It was a fruitful lesson, but fell short in explaining the man's totality of being in his latter days. Here we are today, trying to ferret out some of the things that impacted Moses, but we soon see that the forty years of Moses' life experiences in Midian are not enumerated very much. We know he worked as a shepherd, an occupation not well respected by many. We know that he married and lived among his wife's people. We know that life was pretty ordinary compared to that of the Egyptian palace from whence he came.
     So "average" was his existence that the reader wonders just how God would empower him to do what he must in the courts of Egypt. But there on the desert floor, we are made to understand. Moses would find himself in the presence of the Shekinah glory of God. He looked afar and saw a thorny bush burning. The interesting thing was that it was not being consumed. The fire did not go out.
He was compelled to go nearer; he was compelled to know more.
     It seems that for any of us, Moses, me, you, who want to serve our Lord, we must first find ourselves in the presence of the Shekinah--the glory of God. From this perspective--all of Him and none of us--do we find the empowerment to do what we are called to do. Just as the thorny bush did not go out, the crown of thorns does not diminish in our lives. We have been redeemed and empowered by Everlasting Grace. And so we sing...

            "Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go
           Anywhere He leads me in this world below...."
                                                             Jessie Pounds

Later, a chocolate heiress, Helen Cadbury, would forsake her fortune and become a humble servant of God. She wrote this verse to the hymn:

            "Anywhere with Jesus,
             Over land and sea,
            Telling souls in darkness of salvation free;
            Ready as He summons me to go or stay,
            Anywhere with Jesus when He points the way,"

And so it is, for those who have confronted the Shekinah---the thrice Holy God.

Bibledoorajar: Providence and Illumination

What in me is dark, illumine, what is low, raise and  support, that to the height of this great argument I will assert eternal Providence, and justify the ways of God to men.                                              John Milton Not everyone believes in the providence of God, but the Bible is very clear that God is at work in the lives of His servants and "arranges" life experiences to illuminate His will for their lives and to protect and raise the bar of their ethical living. To this end, He was quite aware when His selected, Moses,  fled the country of Egypt. Fleeing, he wound up in the land of Midian near seven shepherd girls who were having trouble with some ne'er-do-wells. Moses took all of the guys on by himself and won. This, of course, made quite an impression on the girls who were the daughters of Reuel. Reuel was also  impressed by the stranger's actions on behalf of his daughters so much that he sent them back to bring him home for some hospitality. This "coincidence" put Moses where God would leave him for quite a while. He even gained a wife out of the deal: Zipporah. In our family, we have a saying if we have complications some how. We say God knew what was best and prevented us from doing what we thought we were going to do. It makes sense to us to justify God's providence in our lives. How about you?  See Romans 8:28.