Tag: Exodus

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Unbelievable.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied. “Throw it down on the ground,” the Lord told him. So Moses threw down the staff, and it turned into a snake! Moses jumped back. Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In our church, we’ve have been discussing God’s Grand Design through the idea of an individual’s calling. Old Testament patriarchs certainly come to mind. Moses calling is so extraordinary and filled with honest human emotions that come along with doubt. The creator of all things – God comes, makes himself known and speaks. But more than just revealing his plans, God chooses to include us in them. Why? We ask. From the beginning of time, God has invited us, even with all our faults and fears to be a part of our own redemption story. Amazing!

God tells Moses the what, the why and the who, but Moses throws up some protests, some reasons he believes that God has the wrong man.

Here’s Moses’ counter arguments:

First one; who am I – 3:11? The inference is, I am a nobody, an unknown, in fact a failure.

Second one; who am I to say sent me – 3:13? One can’t be a hero without the proper credentials, right?

The third protest; What if they don’t believe me – 4:1? I’m not sure why these sound a bit ridiculous, especially because no one is asking for a famous, royal ambassador who has made up a fanciful story about talking with God! Who’s asking these imaginary questions? Pharoah? The Jewish leaders? No, Moses is asking these questions in his own head because he does not want to do it and thinks he can convince God to move on to someone else! God helps Moses out by giving him a cool miracle – the stick/staff/snake! And the backup would be the miracle skin diseased hand healing. These are meant to bolster Moses’ faith, thus saying YES to God almighty. But Moses still persists in protesting – what patience God has! You get the feeling that God will not let Moses out of this.

Fourth protest; Moses throws out another idea – Oh… and I STUTTER! You can’t have a stutterer be your spokesperson – 4:10.

Four excellent reasons to choose someone else and four patient answers from God, all workarounds for Moses to be obedient. Talk about a super reluctant leader! In vs 13 Moses begged God, “please send someone else.” In vs 14 God is now angry with Moses. He concedes, not to let Moses off the hook, but to have his brother be the spokesperson for Moses! God tells Moses, Aaron will be your spokesman, he speaks just fine – but you are still my spokesman, God still chose Moses.

Moses was a reluctant leader, who constantly wavered with unbelief and never felt worthy of being the man God called to lead and free the Jewish people from the tyranny of Egypt’s enslavement and onto the promise land that God had in store for them. God calls whom He wills and His plans are always perfect. God still calls people to great things, and small things today!

If we say we believe God and we are followers of Jesus the we have a general call to obedience and most likely a specific call to ministry, to passion or to pursue our purpose with the gifts God has granted to each of us. Let me ask you, “what’s in your heart?” What is your purpose, calling and gift? What are you doing with it? Go ahead, run your own list of protests like Moses who tried to dissuade God, insinuating that God doesn’t know what He’s doing! After you run out of perfectly legitimate protests in your own head, you’ll be faced with the ultimate decision – to obey or not! And to not obey is disobedience! Flip your stubbornness into faithfulness and determination to obey instead of angering God and trying His patience.

Prayer

​Dad,
I put up a small resistance with tantrums and protests back in the day. And, still even today, question every one of my own beliefs, frailties and abilities. But through faith I will continue to believe you. With grace, I will continue to move forward to accomplish what you have called me to be and to do! I trust you far more than I trust my failures and doubts? Here I am Lord, send me again! Amen.

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Holy Flair.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In this way, Aaron will carry the names of the tribes of Israel on the sacred chestpiece over his heart when he goes into the Holy Place. This will be a continual reminder that he represents the people when he comes before the Lord. Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron’s heart when he goes into the Lord’s presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord’s will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord. ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭28‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I’ll bet most of us would not think of God as consummate ancient fashion designer, would we? A Pastor friend of ours, Emily, told our church, “God is into timing and details,” Isn’t that the truth!

God gave Moses the buildout specs on the temple as well as the official priest-wear, when they were on duty. Earlier in chapter 28, God told Moses, “Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service.” Not only for Aaron, but for his sons as well. And God commanded that they use the finest materials available – “give them fine linen cloth, gold thread, and blue, purple, and scarlet thread.” There was extreme detail given to Aaron’s breastplate, the beautifully ornate focal point of his uniform. However, the breastplate wasn’t just for aesthetic design only, no – it was practical as well. “Then, with great skill and care, make a chestpiece to be worn for seeking a decision from God. Make it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. Make the chestpiece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square. Mount four rows of gemstones on it. The first row will contain a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald. The second row will contain a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone. The third row will contain an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst. The fourth row will contain a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones will be set in gold filigree. Each stone will represent one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be engraved on it like a seal.”

The chest pieces’ purpose: seeking a decision from God! In the myriad of detail, God had them place two unique stones and gave them names. God named the onyx gemstones! Urim and Thummim, in Hebrew, Urim means “lights” and Thummim means “perfection.” These objects were used to illuminate God’s perfect will when He was sought for answers.

These were not just Jewish Jibbitz! No one really knows what color the stones were because sadly, they disappeared when Israel went into Babylonian captivity and were never seen again. Modern images show one of them as white, the other black. Since God spoke directly to Moses, he had no need of these stones. From Aaron on through the High Priest’s role, this was a part of the job – discerning God’s will. These gemstones became a serious part of a holy decision making process. They were only sought in dire situations and only in a ceremonial process through the High Priest.

Fast forward to the New Testament. Jesus disciples had to replace Judas who was lost because of his betrayal. Acts 1:26, “Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.” Did casting lots replace the ancient decision process on determining the will of God? Possibly. It seems that both lots and the gemstones were used in the Old Testament, Proverbs mentions “lots” as well in 16:33, 18:18.

For today, casting lots or using some priestly technique of using the onyx stones is frowned upon. The best way to make decisions today for the believer is to simply seek and ask the Holy Spirit for help. James says, ask for wisdom. It is far more important to learn how to seek and wait for the guidance from the Holy Spirit than to throw out some stones, dice, sticks or use fortune cookies to determine our plans and next steps in following Jesus. God is not a gimmick, and the Holy Spirit is not a scratcher!

Prayer

​Dad,
I know that seeking, waiting and listening is not a perfect process. It feels fraught with a lot of selfishness, self-reflection and even self-doubt. Yet, this is what you’ve asked to do – ask, seek and knock! After learning your ways, it does become a little easier to ferret out my own motives, and begin to see your desires. It’s strange to reach a conclusion with a sense that the decision often goes against, or at least bristles my own will. I have made plenty of decisions against my own will, only to yield to your will. I guess that’s the point, right? However, I know that even when I do not choose your will or have made awful mistakes in big life decisions, your grace is sufficient to catch me, rescue me and get me back on the right path. Thank you for freedom to choose your will, your ways and your plans for my life. I do not take any of this for granted. Amen.

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Remember Meribah & Massah.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did. For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭95‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David writes this Psalm and it is put into the book of Psalms towards the end of his life. The Psalm starts with a burst of praise, a crescendo of thanksgiving, ”Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.” Yet, it ends with this warning, to remember Meribah & Massah.

What happened in these places that was so egregious, that God took an oath to not allow the eldest into the promised land. Maybe there’s a hint in the phrase, “Rock of our salvation?” Meribah was the final straw of hard-hearted, contentiousness with the elders who were freed from Egypt, but their souls were still enslaved with bitterness. Gotquestions.org writes, “The incident at the waters of Meribah Kadesh is recorded in Numbers 20. Nearing the end of their forty years of wandering, the Israelites came to the Desert of Zin. There was no water, and the community turned against Moses and Aaron.”

The people held Moses & Aaron responsible for their lack of water in the desert. And, once again Moses & Aaron went to the Lord with the complaint/request. God told Moses & Aaron to gather the people at a rock in Meribah (which means strife or contention). God told Moses to speak to the rock, but apparently Moses had reached his limit of patience. The anger of his youth rallied and raised its ugly head. Moses took the staff of God and smacked the rock saying, “Listen, you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock?” (Numbers‬ ‭20‬:‭10‬). Uh oh. You can hear the exasperation in Moses’ words.

Water came out and the people were once again satisfied, but God took notice that Moses and Aaron (God held Aaron responsible as well) were disobedient to God’s command. “…the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” These were the waters of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them. The other place at the rock of Horeb, is found in Exodus 17:1-7, this time God had told Moses to strike the rock. Both times, the people were grumbling, and threatening towards Moses. In Horeb, God called the place, Massah (nasah), to test or quarrel with God. Is there a proper way to wrestle with the Almighty? Jacob did so and God displaced his hip so his limp would remind Jacob of a moment in the ring with His creator.

Here, the people also struggled with God with contempt, blame and bitterness. What strikes me is that David in this Psalm writes about these specific, named places where humans contentiously strived with God and clearly lost! God was also angry at them! They wandered in the desert, going in circles for forty years. And they never made it to the promised land. But neither did Moses, nor Aaron, their leaders.

The people who start with you on a faith journey, may not end with you. And if leaders aren’t careful, we might not see the promise of God fulfilled either! Remember your own places like Meribah & Massah, where we strived with God. Remember to be patient, humble and most of all obedient if we want to see the promises of God come to pass.

Prayer

Dad,
Is grumbling and complaining just a byproduct of aging? I used to think it was funny to see an old man or old woman just muttering muffled rants as they went about their life. Now, I don’t think it’s so funny. I don’t want to be a whiner, a complainer or finish my life spewing bitterness! Help me God to fight the disease of Meribah & Massah! Help me watch my attitude and my words. Help me hold my tongue and slow my witty words that are not godly. Deliver me from the bitter-soul syndrome that seems to come with seeing too much, experiencing too much pain and suffering around me. Help me have the necessary faith to see Your promises fulfilled. Amen.

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Warnings from ancient life lessons.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle Paul pulls lessons from the ancient days of Israel’s sins after being freed from Egyptian slavery. He then applies those wandering-wants to similar modern day temptations.

He writes, “these things happened,” referring to God’s immediate judgment on the people for allowing themselves to be carried away with their sin. Even with the covering of Christ for our sins, there is still a serious warning of wandering off with rampant, disordered desires.

Some of the Israelites partied, celebrated and got drunk while indulging in sexual activities. The Hebrew language, in this verse just says, “they sat down to eat and drink, but rose up to (paizó) to play as a child.” But this wasn’t a “kid’s party” kind of play, it was sexual! Paul followed up with the fact that they were active in (porneuó) fornication. And that 23,000 died that day. But sexual promiscuity wasn’t the only prevalent sin then, nor today. They also (gogguzó), grumbled, mumbled or complained with a smoldering discontent.

I would have never seen the connection between sex and constant complaining, but don’t they both sound like pursing our own desires over what God wants for us? That’s chilling to think about. Paul’s admonition to a very Gentile (non Jewish) group in Corinth, is that these very old stories were captured for our benefit today or as he put it, “They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age” (‭‭1 Cor. 10‬:‭11‬). Point made Paul, Touché! They are still a warning for us today as well.

Prayer

​Dad,
I used to really judge the ways and behaviors of the Jewish people as so stubborn or unaware of what you were up to. And, constantly thinking, why don’t they just OBEY? Ah, but maturity has had the strange effect on seeing my own faults, shortcomings, weaknesses and flat out failures. Now I get it. Being human is hard and an impossible task to be perfect. But I hear the warnings of Paul and understand my own desires that try to take over my decisions and write a different story for myself. One that is not of you, and honestly one that would end very badly. My story, like my life is anchored in your story, and I’m happy about that.

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The leader dilemma.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded. Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The backdrop to this moment in the Sinai desert is a classic, repetitive cycle of leadership. God appoints Moses to meet with Pharaoh demanding the release of the nation of Israel. Moses has a speech impediment, so God allows his brother, Aaron to do the talking. The ten plagues proceed. Eventually Pharaoh concedes and 3 million people exit Egypt and head out to the desert – no man’s land.

The first barrier to escaping the Egyptian army is water, lots of water, flowing down the Red Sea inlet of the Indian Ocean. And, God specifically told Moses where to lead and where to make camp, Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Pharaoh changes his mind and pursues the Israelites, finding them trapped by the Red Sea with no where to run. Here’s where it gets interesting. The people are scared to death, but they’ve also lived with fear for so long, they had adjusted to a slave-fear mentality. This fear was new. It was different. This was now a free-fear experience for them. They were free, but trapped. They lashed out at their leader! They cried out to God, but held Moses responsible saying, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt?” God brought them out. Sure, Moses led them under God’s direction, but Moses did not have a plan on what to do or where to go! This was all on God. The Israelites cross by God’s miraculous intervention. The Red Sea opened, they got across, but the ethos of the nation had not changed. They were free, but maintained a slave mentality! The end of Exodus 14 says, “They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.”

That faith was very thin and it only took them three more days to run out of it. Now three days out in the Desert, they find an oasis, but the water is bitter, un-drinkable. Three days from ocean to oasis, and it feels like a cruel joke. You can’t drink salt water and you can’t drink bitter water? The circumstances caused the same fears to come up and as expected, they blame Moses. Like Moses can make water in the desert.

Moses, being a quick study, immediately called out to God. This time God gave Moses a bit part in the miracle by showing him a specific piece of wood. Moses throws the wood in the water, the water turns sweet and the people drink all they want. But Moses also caught onto these situations and figured out they were life-lessons, living object lessons. Moses takes this opportunity to lay down some ground rules that are a precursor to the law, a way to live in obedience to God. He tells them something kinda strange, He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭26‬. What? Not suffer the diseases God sent on Israel? Were they thinking that God would drag them out to the desert to punish them and pour out His judgment on them? Apparently, Moses knew this is what the people were thinking?

The leader dilemma is not only carrying the responsibility to take people to a destination, but it’s also to help people grow, learn and develop along the way. And, as a godly leader, an under-shepherd, it’s also important to let people know that the leader doesn’t have all the answers. It is also the responsibility of the leader to communicate, that it is up to each individual person and together, as a community, to listen to God and obey Him.

By the way, the complaining, disbelief and blame from the people eventually got under Moses’ skin, because he reverted to his old angry ways of dealing with the injustice and inadequacies of being in stressful situations. This time it wasn’t killing an Egyptian officer, he tried to kill the rock, disobeying God (Numbers 20:8-11). Wasn’t it better that he smacked a rock rather than a rabble-rouser?

Prayer

​Dad,
Maybe it’s just me, but isn’t it a tad bit more difficult to live a life of faith and obedience when one has a bunch of people following? It often feels like pastoring in a church means that we don’t have a life of our own at all. It’s always open to the public! And the questions and complaints, wow – they seem unending. Do folks realize we’re just normal people with a calling and a passion to be obedient to you just as everyone else should be in the body of Christ. It’s just an enormous weight of responsibility. Maybe there’s a specific kind of grace for those who carry others? I’d like some more of that kind of grace please. Amen.

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Obedience out of love or fear?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the Lord. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can hear me when I speak with you. Then they will always trust you.” Moses told the Lord what the people had said. Exodus‬ ‭19‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

These Exodus passages are a great place to think about our human nature, especially when it comes to doing what is right or wrong – obedience to the law or rules for living or doing whatever we please.

Let’s face the facts, the nation of Israel, the chosen people of God, had faced the most intense, supernatural occurrences over several weeks, maybe months, known as the plagues. But, whether the ten plagues lasted forty days or three months, we can be guaranteed that the entire group of Egyptians and Jews went through a living nightmare of horrors. If that wasn’t enough, the mind-blowing phenomenon of a narrow escape across the Red Sea, then a pillar of fire by night and a massive cloud by day led the nation to this holy place called Mount Sinai! It could be said that it was either a glorious or traumatizing set of events. And Moses was at the center of all of it – God’s chosen stutterer, turned super leader in a very brief time.

When Moses came down from the holy mountain and told the people what God had spoken to him, it’s not surprising that they responded together, “we will do everything the Lord has commanded.” They were probably still terrified of Moses’ God. The Bible is very open about the fact that the people DID NOT obey… at least for long. Let’s set aside the fact that God told Moses, the visual, audible show of a cloud with booming noises coming out of it was for a specific reason – so the people would TRUST Moses. Ok, great. But these passages help me ask the question, did the people obey out of fear or love? And, how effective is obedience out of fear verses obedience out of love? You could argue the point that Israel loved God and loved pleasing God. But I offer this, I believe they were re-establishing a relationship with God that had been abandoned since Jacob and his son Joseph led the nation. Heaven had been silent for several hundred years! I don’t think they knew God all that well.

Is obedience out of fear effective? Of course it is! Is obedience out of fear expedient? Yeah, it works pretty quick. Just watch what happens when a Highway Patrol vehicle pulls onto the highway. The speed limit instant becomes every driver’s best friend. But does obedience through fear engage an enduring change of both behavior and heart? Is it not true that love takes longer, but is far more successful for a lifetime of obedience? Ask any Dad, “would you rather your children fear you or love you?” Ah, that’s tricky isn’t it? Fearing your Father for the right reasons, like the ultimate goals of safety, security and delayed success for your future – is a good fear! Ask a Dad if they “would rather their children respect them or love them?” Good Dads, great Dads want BOTH. Why? It’s the best outcome for the child’s sake!

I am not advocating that fear has no place in our obedience to God, it’s just that our relationship must mature to a point where love becomes the primary motivation to do what is right. That’s why God says he prefers obedience over sacrifice. Sacrifice can be faked, obedience can’t. Even, if one doesn’t obey for the right reason, it is still beneficial. Do you know how often I hear my friends express gratitude for their strict parents? Parents that held the line, set the boundaries and corrected their children when they disobeyed. They held those boundaries until the child became an adult – understanding the necessity for rules and even fear-based compliance. I don’t know if you’ve noticed that children and/or youth make some really stupid, even life-threatening mistakes. Some of these “mistakes” have horrible, life-altering consequences – that are permanent.

Shouldn’t maturity and a growth in our understanding of God, drive us to be obedient more out of love than fear? In surrendering to the discipline, the correction of the Holy Spirit, I am yielding – more out of love for God these days, and less out of fear.

Prayer

Dad,
It has certainly not been easy to be raised in more or less, a fatherless home environment. I rarely felt safe, rarely felt loved, valued or protected by a good, loving father figure. That lack of discipline made it much harder to do what is right for the right reason. You know my sense of right and wrong was based on getting caught or getting away with something! It was not helpful at all as a young man. But when I was learning to be obedient and even disciplined out of your love it was both amazing and extremely difficult. Thank you for your long, enduring patience with me. Thank you for your grace still today. You are such a good Father to me and I am eternally grateful.

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No coincidence, only providence.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Soon Pharaoh’s daughter came down to bathe in the river, and her attendants walked along the riverbank. When the princess saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it for her. When the princess opened it, she saw the baby. The little boy was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This must be one of the Hebrew children,” she said.” Exodus‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses records his own origin story. It is remembered and written in such a gentle, peaceful style. However, living in those moments were not peaceful, nor gentle. The situation was dire and filled with fear of an unknown future. We read this as history, but honestly it’s telling of a fact: Nothing is coincidental! We have to shift our thinking to the truth – EVERYTHING is providential. Everything, you ask? Yes, everything. Our limited scope of time and understanding of eternity makes this difficult. Plus, our distrust and awful stereotypes of God put us at a huge disadvantage of seeing God as GOOD. God is always right, true and good. We tend to review every crisis, death, loss or disaster as either random or predetermined. God’s foreknowledge and sovereignty does not equal predetermination of evil that is perpetrated on humanity. God did not create humans to delight in destroying them! His delight is in loving us and being intimately involved in our lives.

Moses birth story and his entire life story is an amazing story of providential miracles to tell US the bigger story of God from Genesis to Revelation. The Pharaoh, over the largest superpower civilization of its day, made a self-determined decision that the Jewish people were a threat. The same people that God used Joseph’s own difficult path to save the Jews and SAVE Egypt. This Pharaoh, not the Joseph Pharaoh, FEARED the hardworking, humble, grateful Jewish people would rise up and take over his kingdom. God, of course had completely different plans for his people, and it wasn’t to take over and occupy Egypt. God had another spot on the earth for the Jewish people to call their own.

Pharaoh, using genocide as a population deterrent, ordered the killing of all Jewish baby boys. From early on, we can see Satan’s plan to stop God’s plan of redeeming humans by starting with the elimination of God’s people, God’s plan and God’s promises. God made promises to His people and to the entire planet. Satan’s plans always include trying to make God out to be a liar and a promise breaker! It never worked and it never will. God is truth, His promises are guaranteed. If even one of them is not fulfilled, God would not be God.

Pharaoh’s decree was followed and an unknown amount of baby boys were put to death. We see this evil, genocidal plan repeated all throughout human history! But God saw Moses and what Moses would become before time ever began! From the moment Moses’ mother, Jochebed, had the brilliant idea of putting her baby boy in his own boat and float him down the river, (technically “throwing the hebrew boy” into the river, as Pharaoh had commanded) to the delightfully providential surprise that one of Pharaoh’s own daughters would find him. It’s all in God’s hands, His will was directing the entirety of Moses’s story.

Wow! Following even a fraction of Moses’ life story is amazing! The miracles, the drama, the detail – I love it. It makes me think of my own life, from beginning until now. To just realize that none of it was coincidental, none of it an accident or a mistake – is pretty overwhelming! But for me to take all that I know about God and all that I know about my own history and realize that God is not just deeply involved, He’s fully in control. And, to think about that same God inviting me to be a part of His grand story is humbling and encouraging. Our lives are a small part of what God is doing to bring about his will on earth as it is in heaven! To allow our sin, sorrow, brokenness and redemption to serve His BIG plan is so cool. It’s more than cool – it’s providential.

Prayer

Dad,
First of all, bravo on the amazing ways you have kept and recorded your story in oral, then written form that has survived and flourished for thousands of years! Your Word has endured, just as you promised that it would. I am thankful that you have always been in control, and always be in control over ALL things – including my own life. I am grateful to be a part of Your story and that my own story might be useful to You and anyone else.

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Hardheaded Humans we be

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭16‬:‭27‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Even when God speaks and God provides hard, physical evidence of His existence and care, we still tend to “walk out on the 7th day looking for food.” Oh they heard what Moses had said. But “some” just had to see for themselves. Faith becomes really hard for some of us!

I see a sad story, a dark comedy in what God asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.”

“How long?,” God asks. Answer: A very long time. In fact, we discover, we will refuse to obey for the entirety of our human story. It has completely flipped in modern days, for “some” will obey, but now, the majority will still theoretically go out looking for food on the seventh day.

Folks swear that signs and the absolute surety of evidence will convince the most determined atheist of the reality of God – they will not. Dig up Noah’s ark, find the elusive Ark of the Covenant, open the mysterious box with God’s finger written covenant on stone and the two quarts of manna still fresh as the day it fell! Find and test the possible burial shroud of the living Christ. Don’t we get it? This is not how most come to faith! Some say it was all about the evidence, and how it was undeniable. Good for them. But I believe because God made Himself real to me with a simple proposition, “give me your life,” He said. God made a promise to be the Dad I never had! God promised to more than just BE life FOR me, He wanted to DO life WITH me. The physical reminders and object lessons of His reality are certainly cool, but I did not come to faith because of a newly discovered jar of manna hidden within the Ark of the Covenant! God didn’t tell Moses to put some manna in a jar to prove His existence to future doubters. “Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.”” God wanted later generations to remember His provision and care in the middle of a gigantic desert experience in their own lives.

I just want to live a life that hears God’s voice and obeys what He says. I don’t want to be that guy that walks out on day 7 looking for food and then blames God for being a liar. Nah, instead, I’ll just trust and obey.

Prayer

Dad,
Oh, I can clearly see myself in these ancient stories, where I read and chuckle to myself about the stubbornness of people back then. Ah, but when I search my own heart I quickly see the duplicity of my thoughts. I often understand what you command, I just have this compulsion to either test it or try to find some other way to accomplish my own will rather than yours. Thank you for your patience and lonnnnnng suffering towards me, and for all of us.

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The Exodus story lives on in us.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When one looks closely you can see the story of death, sacrifice and blood from Genesis to Revelation. God himself killed the first animal to clothe the couple in the garden, covering their nakedness (Gen 3:21). Some scholars disagree, but I believe it subtly showed up with Adam’s sons, Cain and Able. Able chose to give God the best of his flocks, the firstborn of his lambs. Cain just gave some of his crops (Gen 4:4). One was a blood sacrifice, one was not. God chose this object lesson about blood to span the eons of time for humans.

The Exodus is an eternal story of redemption and sacrifice that points to the Messiah, Jesus, and beyond. Yet, even after Jesus’ own innocent blood become the markings on a wooden cross for us, death did not pass over Christ. Jesus gave his life as the one and only perfect sacrifice for anyone who would believe and recognize his death, his blood, as payment for their sin. Remember, anyone who eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge will die! The couple ate and immediately, spiritually died and eventually physically died as well.

Every human being has also eaten of the forbidden fruit since! Every human being, ever born, has believed the lie, eaten the fruit, and disobeyed God. Thus, every human is destined to die both spiritually and physically. Jesus death, his blood becomes the “sign,” the covering, on the doorposts of our heart and our life. To believe means that through faith, we have applied that covering so the death angel will pass over us as well, because we are marked (the New Testament uses the phrase, sealed with the Holy Spirit).

In the final book, Revelation, the ending of all things, we see the same theme of the blood as an end-cap to God’s grand story of redemption, of exodus, of completion. A loud voice declares that believers in Jesus have conquered the slanderer by the blood of the lamb (Jesus) and the word of their testimony (they lived and spoke of – not their own truth, but of Christ’s truth). We actually “bear witness” through belief and telling of our own story of being rescued! The Exodus story still lives on, in and through our lives today. Once I was blind, but now I see. I was lost but now I am found. Amazing grace how sweet the sound.

Prayer

​Dad,
What a grand story we are living! I am so thankful to not just be alive today, but to be a part of Your very long story.

Bravo God 🙌🏼 🙌🏼 🙌🏼.

When I was young in faith and in understanding of who You are, I thought these themes of sin, death and blood were so dark and creepy. Now, as I have matured, I see them as marvelously mysterious! I am not a huge fan of blood, I get pretty queasy, but I am a huge fan of being rescued and restored to a full and amazing life. I see more clearly now than ever before. And, I am hundreds of times more grateful.

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Lessons from an introverted leader.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Moses, the man, the legend! Moses’ life is a great example of God’s calling on a person. His story is famous, but his journey to fulfill God’s call is often overshadowed by the amazing scenes of miracles God did through his frailty. Moses wasn’t a weak man, not in grit or girth, but in his self confidence he was weak. His view of himself was not at all what God saw in him.

At eighty years old, God catches Moses’ attention out in the middle of nowhere. And, God waited forty years to approach him. Forty years is plenty long for the death of one’s dreams. At forty, Moses’ anger had finally boiled over when he murdered an Egyptian foreman because the man was mercilessly beating one of his own people. Moses escaped and fled to Midian, the desert where people can disappear. Now at 80 years old, he curiously checks out this crazy fire-bush.

A casual conversation with God on the side of a mountain takes place. God tells Moses his plan. He says, “I’m getting my people out of Egypt, out of slavery and setting up a new place they will call their own. A beautiful place fill with plenty, but there are some folks already there, but I’ll move them out to make room for my people. I’ve heard their cry and I am ready to send someone to lead them out. I am sending you!

It was all a nice conversation until it came down to a command. It wasn’t a question, like with Isaiah, “Whom should I send?” No, it was an order. Moses protested! Moses asked the most telling question of anyone who has ever been called by God. “Who am I?” This wasn’t humility, this was truth. Moses saw himself as a nobody because he was a nobody! He was living a quiet, simple life with his whole new family. He was married, had a kid; Egypt and his former existence was a lifetime in the past. Yet, God would not take no for an answer, because it wasn’t a request, it was a command. God’s patience is sweet, but He would have his way. Moses protest goes on for a very long time, from 3:11 to 4:17, you’ll find every excuse presented and dismissed. But you’ll notice a shuttle shift in wording in verse 10. Moses changes his method from “protest” to “pleading.” Three specific protests and two pleas! The final one, “But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”” God relented and Moses thought he was off the hook, God said, “fine,” I’ll let your brother, Aaron do the talking, but YOU are still going! What an incredible exchange between the God of all creation and this broken, wash-up, now invisible man, living in the desert.

Who can tell God no? The fears and frailties are real. The common misconception is that God “prepares” those he calls. Ha! That’s funny. Yeah, God prepares alright! He says, “Here’s what you’re going to do… now obey me and get going!” That’s the prep! I don’t know who started this nonsense that somehow miraculously one slowly grows into what God sees in them, when they cannot see it themselves. I can tell you from my experience, I grew and learned through OBEDIENCE. There was no model, no template, no lectures on methodology and no practice test. There was only, “Here’s the plan, go and be obedient.” It required 100% faith to cut through the overwhelming fear that I was not enough. I was not old enough, experienced enough, nor knowledgeable enough. I learned about leadership through obedience. You can take dozens of classes. Listen to hundreds of podcasts about how others did it. Follow a more experienced person and try to emulate what you saw. NONE OF IT compares to obedience and faith. You just have to DO IT.

Moses obeyed and told his father-in-law, then Aaron, then the leaders of Israel, living in Egypt, then finally Pharaoh himself. He became an extraordinary leader, not perfect though. I still see the pattern in Moses’ life… God speaks, he obeys.

Prayer

Dad,
Obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience is faith in action. Obedience is not in my beliefs, it’s in my behavior. I can imagine that I am obedient to your will, your way, all day long, but until my behavior follows through, it’s just a game, a pretense. Thank you your patience, grace and kindness as I get over myself and learn to just do what you say.