Reflections from Exodus 2–3
From Matt Dumas, Minister of Equipping, and while Neil is out.
Moses was a man who showed great potential as a child. He was obviously gifted, trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was raised in Pharoah’s palace as the son of Pharoah’s daughter. He had everything going for him, and then he made a decision that cost him everything…in a moment of time he chose to respond in his own strength to attempt to bring about a good result – to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt – and ended up killing a man, being alienated from his people, and running for his life. He chose to do things his way and suffered the consequences. Forty years of wilderness wandering later and Moses has a second shot at delivering the Hebrews. This time he will be successful because he has learned the value of patience and humility and doing things God’s way.
Have you been there before? Really feeling like the thing you’re about to do or say is the right thing at that moment. You act and the thing blows up in your face. God isn’t even really an afterthought until you are faced with the consequences of your actions and are left to try to pick up the pieces and figure out what went wrong. You go on a wilderness journey of your own. I’ve been there, more than once I’m afraid. The wilderness is a lonely place, but it’s there that God meets us. It’s there that He begins to deal with our character. It’s there that we find redemption. We wouldn’t choose the wilderness, but there we learn to cry out to God. And it’s a good thing.
Father, thank you for the lessons you’ve taught me in the wilderness. Forgive me for the stupid choices I’ve made that have hurt You and others and sent me there. May I be ever mindful of my need for your grace, and may I give it as freely as it has been given to me. May we as a people become traffickers in Your grace this week. Jesus, make us to want what you want. Amen.
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1 comment:
Moses' story speaks to me. How many times have I taken things into my own hands? I find that I will pray ahead of time for the Lord to direct and guide, but then I just go full throttle in my own strength - thinking that I know what is best versus trusting God for the results. For me, it is the way I approach it....and I humbly coming before the Lord asking for him to guide the process and trusting him for the results or am I really just asking him to bless my efforts. I find when it is the latter, I get bent out of shape when things don't go my way. When I am trusting him for the results, I can live in peace as I do my best to accomplish what he has given me.
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