Our Father, With Us

You can learn a lot about God and about people by reading the narratives found in scripture. On these precious pages, God graciously gives us a window into his heart and our nature. One such story is the account of Moses being called to action at the burning bush. In this account, the LORD has called Moses to go to Egypt and bring deliverance to his people. But Moses is feeling quite ill-equipped for such a great task, his flaws rising before his eyes like the stinging smoke of a campfire.

Yet God continues to call and even graciously addresses Moses' concerns. We read in Exodus 4,

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. ¹

Wait, did the Lord just tell Moses to grab the snake by the tail?

Didn't Moses just run from said snake? Yet the Lord commands him to grab what terrifies him, by the tail, nonetheless, and Moses does. And with this, he begins to understand that God is not only the God of miracles and wonders, but also the God who protects and keeps his word. The training has begun.

How about this one?

In addition the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, resembling snow. “Put your hand back inside your cloak,” he said. So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it had again become like the rest of his skin. ²

Again, Moses is asked to do what is counter intuitive: bring the diseased member close to your heart for round two. Miracles sometimes have that do-the-opposite-of-what-you-think quality about them, don’t they? Put your hand, the hand covered white with leprosy, back into the place where it became diseased. I think I’d be thinking, “Put it back into my cloak? What next? Missing fingers?” Yet Moses obeyed and the Lord again shows us that he is the God of might: to be feared, to be obeyed, and to be trusted.

One perspective we might gain from this story? God is a Father who works with his imperfect children, training them and teaching them to trust him. He is good, you know. Sometimes it’s the small beginnings that prepare us for the great endings. Take care to not despise his workings in your life, my friend.

I know anolder woman at my church who has seen God show his faithfulness in the little things. Specifically, available parking spaces. We may look with contempt at such a thing, but she found the Lord to be faithful in answering a simple prayer to provide a parking spot for her near the store. This became a thing for her, a special bonding point between her and her Lord: "Lord, please provide a spot for me near the store."

Do you have that? Have you experienced those “insider” moments with the Lord; those treasured encounters that are special between you and him? It may be something simple, but it is important. It’s foundational to know that he is your Father and that he treats you as a son, as a daughter. He calls you. He trains you. He goes with you. Will you embrace him in this truth today?

Scripture References

¹ Exodus 4:1-4

² Exodus 4:6-7