I AM THE LORD | Exodus 5-6
Welcome to Real Life. It (real life) doesn’t always progress according to my schedule. Early failures often leave me feeling totally defeated. But, could those failures be a part of God’s larger plan?
Moses is discouraged. He obeyed God. He gave Pharaoh God’s message, “Let my people go.” Pharaoh pretty much laughed in his face, “Who is the LORD? I don’t know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”[1] Failure.
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| "Let my people go." |
A slave’s life is hard enough. Moses just made it worse. He stirred up trouble with Pharaoh. The Israelites curse Moses, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you! You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”[2] Moses’ own people – the people he is trying to rescue – turn on him.
What went wrong? This “exodus” isn’t progressing according to Moses’ plan. He didn’t want to be God’s messenger in the first place (see last week’s blog). Moses goes back to God angry and disillusioned, “Why have you brought this trouble on your people? Is this why you sent me? You haven’t helped. You haven’t rescued your people.”
Then the Lord said to Moses,
“Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh:
Because of my mighty hand he will let them go;
because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”
God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD.”[3]
Moses, you aint seen nothin’ yet. God is LARGE and IN CHARGE. Sure. It’s easy for me to say from my vantage point. I know the rest of the story – ten plagues, Red Sea, Pharaoh defeated, God’s people set free. But, Moses and the Israelites have yet to experience God as “THE LORD.” All they see right now is failure, hardship, and defeat.
I get it. I, too, have obeyed God’s call only to be met with early failure. Writing is a perfect example. My early submissions for publication are often met with rejection. I feel like a failure. But, Lord, I’m just trying to obey you. This writing thing is not progressing according to my plan. Moses’ situation reminds me that God is not on my timetable. HE IS THE LORD. What appears to be failure may actually be his perfect will. Those early rejections often result in clearer, more powerful re-writes.
Pharaoh’s negative response, his continually hardening heart against the Israelites, is an integral component in God’s greater plan. Because of Pharaoh’s resistance, God uses supernatural plagues to bring him and Egypt to their knees. God fights for Israel. His people are set free. Word spreads. The true God and his people are known and feared throughout the world. Moses, Israel, Pharaoh, and Egypt experience God as THE LORD.
Are you discouraged? Have early attempts to obey God been met with failure? It may be a part of his bigger plan. Hang in there, friend. You aint seen nothin’ yet.
Dear Father-God, I’m so easily discouraged. Give me faith to persevere until you bring the victory. I want to see you, know you and experience you as LORD.
Take it further …
- If God is for us, who could ever stop us? “Our God is Greater” by Chris Tomlin.
[2] Exodus 5:21
[3] Exodus 6:1-2
Image from: http://streetjesus.info/the_apprenticeship/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Let-MY-People-Go.jpg
Oh gosh, this is so perfect! I love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linnea! :)
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed by this blog post Peggi!! And I had to publish it on my google account. It is very well written and has shaken my emotions! Well done!! I re-tried to follow you and it seems this time it finally worked. I will re-check in case it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteHi Raani,
ReplyDeleteWow! Your comments made my day. Thank you so much. :)
A very inspiring and thought provoking post. It goes along with two of my philosophies:acceptance & Let go and Let God. Thankns for sharing. ~ Peggy
ReplyDeleteHi Peggy, Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your kind comments! :)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteSo many times, I have asked myself this question and especially when i come to a roadblock that does not seem to be going anywhere. Even though I know that God has called me to do certain things, I like Moses and many others have wondered if I really heard God correctly. It is so easy to doubt the calling after you have entered the testing phase or the wilderness. The challenge is to keep going and that is not done easily. Sometimes you are crying as you are moving, but that is okay.
I believe a lot of people think that the call of God on their lives means that you won't experience any pain or suffering or hard work. It is my experience that the call of God will throw you into the wilderness. I see it in the life of our LORD and Saviour and the lives of many people who have accepted the call.
Thank you Peggi for making me think about my own call and the purpose God has for my life.
Ciao,
Patricia
Patricia, I like your point that we sometimes think if it's God's call, it will be easy. There is always a cost to following God. (Just as there is a cost when we don't follow God.) It often includes plain hard work. And somewhere along the line, we will meet resistance. That's why we need each other so much. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments, Patricia. They encouraged me in my call today!