E17 Exodus 3,4 – How God Calls The Hesitant

How can use me? Isn't this the first thought that crosses our mind when we hear God calling?

I don't know about you, but I am sure glad that the heroes of the Bible also struggled with that question. It's good to know that I am not the first person (and I won't the last) who asked God to send someone else. It means that God doesn't call the skilled and qualified but rather those who are aware of their limitations, the hesitant. And from this story can glean how God calls, trains, and sends those who are hesitant.

The Calling. Moses was hesitant; but at least he was able to notice that the bush did not burn up, which had to take some time. God cant call you if you not paying attention.  God begins with those are awake, we can do that!  Paul encourages this like this: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Eph. 5:14)" 

The Training. This is made up of God answering Moses' who, what and how questions. Through the answers God reveals His name and some of His attributes. One interaction stands out though. On Ex. 4:2, God asks the eighty year old Moses, "what is in your hand?" God was directing Moses attention to his shepherd's staff, to reassure that this training is nothing new, God has been training Moses for forty years in the desert (Acts 7:23, 30). God is also revealing that He is going to use Moses' natural talents and the things that he is used already. Did you now that God has been training you all your life and that he will use the things that in your hand already?

The Failed Launch. The story is been building up, God has answered every question and displayed miracles, you expect Moses raise up like a hero…when he anticlimactically asks God to send someone else. God is patient, but there is a limit, the Bible says that the Lord's anger burned against Moses (Ex 4:13-14). Dear God, help me not be like this!

God is merciful with us, his mercy endured and allowed Moses the help of his brother Aaron, and sent him with this charge: "But take up this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it!" (Ex 4:17).

A word to the hesitant, yes God is calling us, yes he will encourage and empower you, don't stay hesitant forever!
What is in your hand?  

E16 Exodus 2 – Floating In Providence vs. Flowing With Providence

Can you imagine what Moses' mom was feeling as released her baby boy to the flow of the Nile? What a captivating picture, a newborn baby floating in a basket down a river with the end result undetermined. What does God want us to learn from this narrative? Could this be a metaphor of our lives? Are we helplessly simply floating on God's will and whatever happens, happens? Or are expected to participate with the "Flow of God?"

After Pharaoh gave the mandated that every male baby be thrown into the Nile; Moses family refused to be reduced to an uninvolved bystanders. For three months they valiantly defied the law and hid the boy they saw providence in him (Heb 11:23). His mom made sure that the baby's big sister, Miriam, observed what would happen, but Miriam did more than observe, she intervened.

A princess sees the baby boy and as she is experiencing pity over the child, Miriam tactically asks her if she wanted her to get a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for "you?" She brings her mom to the princess and Moses' mom receives the order to nurse her own son! Yeah, she got paid to take care of her own son! (sweet) Minutes earlier mom was not sure if her son will live or die, now her son is part of the royal family.

Don't you just love how all the details come together? In addition to all this, the baby will providently be given the name, Moses- "Drawn from the water." Moses whole life will be impacted by water. God will have Moses lead people though the Red Sea. He will through a stick to undrinkable water and it would become drinkable (Ex 15:25). Even his life's biggest blunder will have to do with water. He is instructed by God to go a speak to a rock and water would come out from it. Instead in anger he struck the rock twice (Num 20:9-12). The Rock that he struck was Christ- not good! (1 Cor. 10:4).

God's Providence. Was Moses just simply floating in it? Or were him and his family flowing with it? What about us? Are we just supposed to sit back and enjoy all the good stuff does for us? (if you do, you'll be waiting a long time) Or are we to participate and flow with God's providence. It appears that not only are we involved but that those close to us are involved as well.

Don't float alone. Flow with the Flow of God!


 

E15 Gen 45 – When Our Suffering Converges With God’s Will

Isn't this the moment we never think we will witness? That moment when witness the convergence of God's purposes with our painful past experiences. As God redeems our suffering He not provides healing from the pain, but more amazingly He also ordains blessings and fruitfulness to flow because of it (Rom 8:28).

Joseph personifies this converging of pain and purpose. A victim of major injustices becomes the source of healing and rescue for his offenders. At the same time that Joseph reveals his identity he reassures his brothers "not to be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves... God sent me … to save your lives by a great deliverance." (Gen 45:5, 7) Joseph even concludes that it was God who sent him to Egypt, not his brothers! (Gen 45:8)

What moment, when Joseph is able to kiss all his brothers and weep over them (Gen 45:15). He is even able to talk to those who years ago could not say a kind for to him (Gen. 37:4). 
In kissing, weeping and talking with them Joseph is sharing his healing with them. He is hoping that they too have a convergence.  Their convergence will be different but just as important; a place where the pain they caused meets God's purpose. Joseph even encourages them not to argue about this matter anymore (Gen 45:25).

Thank God, that he not only redeems the pain that has been done to us, but also the pain that we inflict on others. I must admit, I tend to wait for God to heal the pain done to me, more than the pain I cause. Lord, forgive me for this.
Dear Jesus, give the patience I need to see this convergence in my life.  Help me to not only seek redemption for my pain but also for the pain that I have caused.

E14 Gen 43-44 – Allowing Your God-Dreams To Unfold

Are our God-Dreams an inedibility or a glimpse of divine possibilities? Are the dreams that God gives affected by our actions and reactions? Can we get on the way and prevent God's will from unfolding? Do we have some responsibility in their fulfillment?

Frankly, I am still figuring those answers. The free-will vs. God's sovereignty discussion will continue until we meet Jesus. Until then we can rely on God and His Word for pointers.

We can get some guidance from this narrative. About twenty years earlier Joseph had a dream/vision of his brothers bowing down to him in honor (Gen 37:6-7). This dream becomes a reality twice in this passage (Gen 43:26,28). But what if Joseph would had lash out in anger the first time he saw his brothers, would the dream still come true? Did Joseph patience allow this dream to be fulfilled?

What about our dreams- have we messed them up already? Can God redeem and restore them? Maybe I am making the mistake of thinking that dreams and promises of God are about me instead of God.

Think about it. Was Joseph's dream a foretelling about the brothers that hated him one day bowing down to honor him, or was the dream about one day Joseph being able to forgive his brothers? Was the dream for just for Joseph, or was it for his brothers?

All dreams and their interpretations are from God and belong to Him (Gen 40:8). Maybe we err calling them "our" dreams and destiny. Our goal should not be to know the future, but to do our part and allow God to do His.

Questions For Reflection:

1. Joseph dreams took more than 20 years to be fulfilled, have you put an expiration date on your God-dreams?
   
2. Do you think the dream was fulfilled the way Joseph thought it would?

E13 Gen 42 – Leaving Room For God To Be Our Avenger

Is there anything that stirs anger in our hearts more than injustice? It's evident that the human heart was made in the image of a God of Justice; just look at the strong, immediate reactions that we have whenever we perceive injustice. Ironically, even people who do not believe in "moral absolutes" are absolutely sure that injustice is wrong and not to be tolerated. Deep within our hearts there is written code against injustice.

The story of Joseph early life is made up of injustice followed by more and more injustice: sold into slavery by his brothers, thrown in jail for doing the right thing, and once there forgotten by the people whom he helped. If anyone had the right to be an angry, vengeful person in the Bible it was Joseph.

I wonder how much did Joseph sulk in anger towards his brothers? Did he plan his revenge against them someday? Did he pray to God that he could someday pay them back? The Bible story doesn't say, but it does say what he did when he met again some 20 years later.

Joseph decided to observe his brothers before deciding what do. He had the advantages of the brothers not recognizing him, and pretending not to understand their language by using an interpreter. After three days the brothers acknowledged among themselves they were reaping the consequences of their sin against Joseph and that they were giving an accounting of his blood (Gen 42:21-22). Joseph was able to observe their sorrow and grief over what they had done to him. Their anguish moved Joseph to go away and weep (Gen. 42:24).

God had done for Joseph what he could never do himself. He changed the hearts of his offenders, and in doing so also changed his. Joseph discovered that God is our avenger and defender. God also instructs us to allow Him the room He needs to defend us.

Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"  says the Lord. When we seek our revenge we get on God's way to display his perfect wrath and vengeance.

Vengeance belongs to God and not us. If not careful we can prevent God from establishing his Justice, and helping us.

How I wish this wasn't true. How difficult it is for me to get out of God's way. Vengeance has the appearance of being easier when done by ourselves. But when I seek my own defense and vengeance, I make matters worse than they were before. 


Lord, how I need to learn to make room for you.  You can defend me better than I can.


 
Questions For Reflection:

1. 
   
   Am I my own protector or is God my protector and defender?