Thoughts in Worship
Message Magazine’s Online Devotional for Tuesday, October 28, 2014
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“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.” Exodus 2:14
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Moses was a Hebrew; therefore, he was called to the faithfulness of Abraham. He and his people, even before the writing of the law in stone, were called to holiness. God had revealed His ability to set aside God-fearing people through the patriarchs who had lived before Moses.
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One day Moses saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew as he worked. With indignation, he descended on the Egyptian, killed him, and buried him in the sand. All of this he did after looking around to make sure nobody was watching. “And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.” Exodus 2:13, 14.
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In this one thoughtless act on the part of Moses, the devil sought to nullify his influence forever. He knew that if he could cause Moses to fall, his iniquity would separate him from God (Isaiah 59:2). He knew that whatever God was planning to do through Moses could be hampered if Moses lost his spiritual composure.
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Pharaoh heard about what Moses had done and wanted to kill him. Moses, fearing his life, fled into Midian where He kept the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro. Eventually the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush. “And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” Exodus 3:3-6. During this encounter, God gave Moses his commission to act as a deliverer of His people from Egyptian slavery.
The devil intended that Moses’ influence for good be eternally nullified, but God had another plan. He taught Moses humility and patience through his experience in Midian. God called Moses to his mission when the time was right.
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On some level, this is the case with all of us. When we could have a godly influence over people and lead them to relationship with Christ, sometimes we fail. Sometimes we allow self to get in the way of God’s mission for our lives. All is not lost. God, in His faithfulness, teaches us through our own Midian experiences what it means to patiently trust Him and become meek. As He develops our character, He entrusts us with more and more responsibilities to do His service. Will we accept the charge or remain nullified? Moses tried to resist his call, but the Lord persisted and Moses obeyed. What is God calling you to do? Do not allow your past to intimidate you. Trust the Lord to nurture and guide you into your mission for Him. Do not allow your influence for good to be nullified.–L. David Harris (www.davidwritesalot.com)
