Never underestimate the power of weakness. That’s the message I get through the story of Samson in the book of Judges. Samson lands the job of judge over Israel for a period of 20 years. He is a pretty interesting guy. He has a lot of strength, known for his buff body, but he also has some pretty powerful weaknesses.
Before Samson is even born, God has determined that he will be a man of strength and will bring deliverance to the Israelites. An angel of the Lord appears to a woman and tells her that she will have a son, whose hair should never be shaved. The source of his strength would be found in his hair. I don’t know why God picked his hair to be the source of his strength. I guess He chose something that wouldn’t be so obvious to others. After all, if someone could guess the source of his strength, then they could cut it off (the hair and his strength).
Now Samson is so strong that he does some pretty incredible things. He tears a lion apart with his bare hands. He manages to somehow tie the tails of 300 foxes together. I try to imagine gathering 300 foxes and tying their tails…an amazing feat for sure! He slaughters many (we don’t get details; we are just told he does in Judges 15:8). He breaks free from Judah’s attempt to bind him and turn him over to the Philistines. He kills 1,000 men with a donkey’s jawbone. These are just the stories we know of. I’m sure there are more that the Bible doesn’t include. After all, he did judge over Israel for 20 years.
So he is a mighty man, a mighty warrior and God uses him time and time again to do some pretty amazing things. But the problem is that Samson also had a weakness. His weakness was women. In the face of a lion he could demonstrate incredible might but in the arms of a woman, he became like mush.
We first see this when he gets a wife from the Philistines. Although he wanted to marry outside his people, it was God’s plan from the beginning. So I guess we can’t really fault him there. However, his weakness in women is quickly revealed when she manages to get out of him a riddle he has told the Philistines. She backstabs him and tells the Philistines the answer to his riddle.
Samson would be backstabbed by a woman more than once, yet they continued to be a weakness in his life and as we will see, a pretty powerful weakness. Samson ends up losing his wife, first to his best friend and then eventually she and her father are burned up by the Philistines. This was in retaliation for the whole fiasco of tying the fox’s tails together, setting them on fire and causing them to burn up the Philistine’s grain.
Then in Judges 16:1 he goes in to a harlot. No strings attached. The Philistines try to take advantage of this opportunity and lie in ambush. However, he manages to escape yet again, relying upon his strength as he rises up at midnight and lifts up the doors to the city’s gate, along with its posts and bar and carries them to the top of a hill. With so much strength, one would think he could overpower anything—including the lure of a woman. But no, that is his snag.
We all have a snag, a weakness that we can fall prey to time and time again unless we learn how to overcome it. It could be that Samson didn’t really recognize women as his weakness. Or it could be that he did but he didn’t know how to break the ties. It could also be that he didn’t want to overcome his weakness. We don’t really know but eventually, it would be his weakness that would bring about his demise.
Along comes Delilah. I don’t know what he thought he was getting into but clearly from the beginning her affections for him were not very deep. For some silver she is willing to give away the secret of his strength. But to do that, she needs to find out what it is. Three times she thinks she knows the answer and three times he tricks her.
The power of his weakness for women is most demonstrated in his “relationship” with Delilah. Not only does she nag him to give away his secret but she has men waiting to subdue him. Did he not know those men were there? The Bible doesn’t make that clear but it seems impossible that he didn’t know. In one instance it says that the men were in the “inner room,” so I don’t see how he didn’t know.
Here’s the thing, though. If he didn’t know, he was blinded by his weakness. Our weaknesses can do that. It’s like we are under the power of our weakness and the power over us is so strong that we can’t even see straight. Our perspective on things can get really messed up.
Finally, he gives in and tells her the source of his strength. It says in Judges 16:16 that she “pressed him day after day.” She just kept coming after him. Our weaknesses will do that. They will come after us, day after day. They are always there, whispering in our ear…enticing us. The question is will we give in? Samson gave in. In my Bible it says he was “vexed to death.” That means he was harassed, irritated, annoyed…to death. Literally it would bring his death.
The source of his strength is revealed, his hair is cut off, his eyes are gouged out and now he becomes nothing more than a source of sick entertainment for the Philistines. It says in Judges 16:20: For Samson did not know that the Lord had departed from him. There comes a time when our weaknesses have so overtaken us that the Lord is no longer with us, and we don’t even know it! We mistakenly think we can handle a situation but we have strayed so far from Him that we don’t even realize His presence is no longer there. What a sad ending for Samson but clearly, one that could have been avoided.
In the end, he sacrifices his own life to wipe out approximately 3,000 Philistines at a house where he pushes apart the pillars and the whole thing topples down on top of them. His end was due to his weaknesses. Don’t ever underestimate the power of your weaknesses. The more we give in to them, the more trouble we invite. Samson’s weakness was women. We all have our own unique weaknesses. Recognize what they are so that you can walk in the power of your strength and not those weaknesses!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
The Nameless Woman
There are so many stories in the Bible where you are left to read between the lines. You have no idea how it played out. The details are missing. I am going to have more than a few questions someday when I stand before Jesus!
There is one story in particular that I read about this morning. It’s in the book of Judges. It’s the story of Jephthah, a Gileadite. His father’s name was Gilead but there is no name for his mother. There is only a description of her. She was a harlot. At one point his half-brothers throw him out of the house, so he goes to the land of Tob.
Eventually the Ammonites come to attack Israel. The elders remember that Jephthah was a mighty warrior so they go find him and ask him to please come lead the Israelites against the Ammonites. He agrees but he makes this deal with God. He vows to God that if he would be victorious against the Ammonites, that whoever or whatever would greet him at his door when he returned from the battle, he would offer it up. In other words, he would sacrifice it.
Now, I’m not entirely sure what he was thinking…or if he was thinking. It seems like a very dangerous vow to make. Why would you suggest such a thing? Wouldn’t it have been enough to say, “God, if you give me this victory I will obey you the rest of my life?” I mean, I think that’s what people typically say when they make “deals” with God. I don’t hear of too many people who suggest something so radical.
At any rate, the vow is made. It’s a done deal. So Japhthah goes out and he gets the victory. He is returning home, maybe even forgetting about the deal he had made with God. Who should meet him at his door with celebration but his daughter! His only child! I mean, clearly he had not thought through this vow and considered the possibilities.
Japhthah knew his vow to God could not be broken. He had to break the news to his daughter. Now think about that. Your father tells you that he had made this deal, this dumb deal, and now he has to sacrifice you. I don’t know about you but I would run! Instead she says, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to what you have vowed, since the Lord has taken vengeance for you on your enemies the Ammonites.” (Judges 11:36)
What I find kind of sad is that she is nameless. The Bible never mentions her name. She is this somewhat forgotten portion of scripture. We may have read the story a hundred times and never given much thought to it. But think about the reality of this situation. This poor girl has come out to celebrate her father’s return and his victory over their enemies. The celebration quickly turns sour. Her decision to greet her father would bring tragic consequences.
She doesn’t run from it. She knows the value of the vow that her father has made. Think about vows for a moment. Vows are meant to be kept. They are never to be broken. They are promises that we say we will keep. Yet today, vows have become nothing more than casual statements. It is no big deal to break a vow. Vow to stay together until death do you part? Nah. We stay together until it gets too hard or we think that the grass is greener on the other side.
This is a woman of integrity. I wish I knew her name. I can’t wait to meet her someday. I will have so many questions for her! Although she knows that the vow cannot be broken, she makes one request of her father. “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go and wander upon the mountains and bewail my virginity. I and my companions” (Judges 11:37).
I don’t know about you but I really find this remarkable. First of all, the fact that she doesn’t run from her father and that she doesn’t beg for her life is amazing to me. She then asks for some time to get away and mourn the fact that she would die a virgin. I really think that is what she was saying here. She didn’t seem to be grieving the fact that she was going to die. That would have been the ONLY thing on my mind! No, she was grieving the fact that she would never marry and never have children. She would die a virgin. I really honestly don’t believe I would be thinking about that. Maybe it’s because since the time she was a little girl, she had dreamt about the day she would grow up and meet her prince charming and become a mother. Perhaps she was already engaged and now the marriage would never take place. We really don’t know but I sure would like to find out!
So her father sends her away. She goes and spends two months in the mountains. Here is where I am really curious. What all happened during those two months? Two months is a long time to think about what you would never have, what you were going to face when that time was done. She must have had some awesome friends because apparently there were others who went with her to “bewail her virginity.” Maybe it was even her fiancé. We really don’t know.
What if you were given two months to live? How would you spend it? At first, I would think that spending it grieving in the mountains is a waste of time. Most people might think that they would want to go out and do everything they can while they have the time. They would want to live life to the fullest and do something wild and crazy. It would be easy to think that she just wasted the last of her days. But here is what I think. Remember, this is just my own thoughts…this is one of those Bible stories where we really don’t know what happened.
But what I think happened is that she probably had some amazing encounters with God. I think God was with her and helped her during that time. I think instead of going out and partying and living life to the fullest, she spent it connecting to her Heavenly Father. I think He prepared her for the sacrifice she was going to make. I think that by the time the two months was over with, she was ready. And I also believe that God had given her a peace.
Here’s why I think this. She had more than enough time and ample opportunity to escape. She didn’t have to return to her father’s house after those two months. I think most of us would probably run to another city, another country! But amazingly, she comes back to her father’s house. There is also a line in this story that says: She never mated with a man (Judges 11:39). Obviously this was a big deal to her. Now think about that. She could have said to herself, “You know what? I’m going to die anyway…I might as well enjoy the time I have left and go for it!” She could have lost her virginity and given herself to a man. She didn’t. She died a virgin and apparently, this was a very big deal for her.
I think our true character shows when we are facing dire circumstances. When our world gets turned upside down, the real “me” will shine through. We can hide our true selves from a lot of people and in a lot of situations. But when we are faced with a raw situation, I believe the raw person we are shows forth.
She is a nameless woman whose story only takes up about seven verses of scripture. But her story is very powerful when you try to read between the lines. She gives us a lot to think about. What is she saying to you?
There is one story in particular that I read about this morning. It’s in the book of Judges. It’s the story of Jephthah, a Gileadite. His father’s name was Gilead but there is no name for his mother. There is only a description of her. She was a harlot. At one point his half-brothers throw him out of the house, so he goes to the land of Tob.
Eventually the Ammonites come to attack Israel. The elders remember that Jephthah was a mighty warrior so they go find him and ask him to please come lead the Israelites against the Ammonites. He agrees but he makes this deal with God. He vows to God that if he would be victorious against the Ammonites, that whoever or whatever would greet him at his door when he returned from the battle, he would offer it up. In other words, he would sacrifice it.
Now, I’m not entirely sure what he was thinking…or if he was thinking. It seems like a very dangerous vow to make. Why would you suggest such a thing? Wouldn’t it have been enough to say, “God, if you give me this victory I will obey you the rest of my life?” I mean, I think that’s what people typically say when they make “deals” with God. I don’t hear of too many people who suggest something so radical.
At any rate, the vow is made. It’s a done deal. So Japhthah goes out and he gets the victory. He is returning home, maybe even forgetting about the deal he had made with God. Who should meet him at his door with celebration but his daughter! His only child! I mean, clearly he had not thought through this vow and considered the possibilities.
Japhthah knew his vow to God could not be broken. He had to break the news to his daughter. Now think about that. Your father tells you that he had made this deal, this dumb deal, and now he has to sacrifice you. I don’t know about you but I would run! Instead she says, “My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to what you have vowed, since the Lord has taken vengeance for you on your enemies the Ammonites.” (Judges 11:36)
What I find kind of sad is that she is nameless. The Bible never mentions her name. She is this somewhat forgotten portion of scripture. We may have read the story a hundred times and never given much thought to it. But think about the reality of this situation. This poor girl has come out to celebrate her father’s return and his victory over their enemies. The celebration quickly turns sour. Her decision to greet her father would bring tragic consequences.
She doesn’t run from it. She knows the value of the vow that her father has made. Think about vows for a moment. Vows are meant to be kept. They are never to be broken. They are promises that we say we will keep. Yet today, vows have become nothing more than casual statements. It is no big deal to break a vow. Vow to stay together until death do you part? Nah. We stay together until it gets too hard or we think that the grass is greener on the other side.
This is a woman of integrity. I wish I knew her name. I can’t wait to meet her someday. I will have so many questions for her! Although she knows that the vow cannot be broken, she makes one request of her father. “Let this thing be done for me; let me alone two months, that I may go and wander upon the mountains and bewail my virginity. I and my companions” (Judges 11:37).
I don’t know about you but I really find this remarkable. First of all, the fact that she doesn’t run from her father and that she doesn’t beg for her life is amazing to me. She then asks for some time to get away and mourn the fact that she would die a virgin. I really think that is what she was saying here. She didn’t seem to be grieving the fact that she was going to die. That would have been the ONLY thing on my mind! No, she was grieving the fact that she would never marry and never have children. She would die a virgin. I really honestly don’t believe I would be thinking about that. Maybe it’s because since the time she was a little girl, she had dreamt about the day she would grow up and meet her prince charming and become a mother. Perhaps she was already engaged and now the marriage would never take place. We really don’t know but I sure would like to find out!
So her father sends her away. She goes and spends two months in the mountains. Here is where I am really curious. What all happened during those two months? Two months is a long time to think about what you would never have, what you were going to face when that time was done. She must have had some awesome friends because apparently there were others who went with her to “bewail her virginity.” Maybe it was even her fiancé. We really don’t know.
What if you were given two months to live? How would you spend it? At first, I would think that spending it grieving in the mountains is a waste of time. Most people might think that they would want to go out and do everything they can while they have the time. They would want to live life to the fullest and do something wild and crazy. It would be easy to think that she just wasted the last of her days. But here is what I think. Remember, this is just my own thoughts…this is one of those Bible stories where we really don’t know what happened.
But what I think happened is that she probably had some amazing encounters with God. I think God was with her and helped her during that time. I think instead of going out and partying and living life to the fullest, she spent it connecting to her Heavenly Father. I think He prepared her for the sacrifice she was going to make. I think that by the time the two months was over with, she was ready. And I also believe that God had given her a peace.
Here’s why I think this. She had more than enough time and ample opportunity to escape. She didn’t have to return to her father’s house after those two months. I think most of us would probably run to another city, another country! But amazingly, she comes back to her father’s house. There is also a line in this story that says: She never mated with a man (Judges 11:39). Obviously this was a big deal to her. Now think about that. She could have said to herself, “You know what? I’m going to die anyway…I might as well enjoy the time I have left and go for it!” She could have lost her virginity and given herself to a man. She didn’t. She died a virgin and apparently, this was a very big deal for her.
I think our true character shows when we are facing dire circumstances. When our world gets turned upside down, the real “me” will shine through. We can hide our true selves from a lot of people and in a lot of situations. But when we are faced with a raw situation, I believe the raw person we are shows forth.
She is a nameless woman whose story only takes up about seven verses of scripture. But her story is very powerful when you try to read between the lines. She gives us a lot to think about. What is she saying to you?
Thursday, April 1, 2010
What If I Don't Feel Like Celebrating Easter?
I bet the title of this blog caught your attention. This weekend is supposed to be very special for our family. We have so many reasons to celebrate. First of all, we are celebrating Easter. It is the whole reason that Jesus came to this earth. He came so that on Good Friday He would take on the sins of the world, yet on Easter morning He would rise from the dead—clearing a path of salvation for all those who would believe on Him. What a glorious celebration!
Our family has other reasons to celebrate as well. My oldest son turns 16 this weekend. There is just something remarkable about that 16th birthday. It’s like a special turning point in a young person’s life. Childhood is just about to be completely left behind. A new season of life waits just around the corner.
We are also celebrating my mother’s 60th birthday which is yet another milestone in a special family member’s life. So many celebrations and so many good things to think about…but we have had this dark cloud covering the joys of all these celebrations. A marriage in our family is falling apart. It seems that prayers just aren’t quite getting answered the way we would like. Tomorrow is supposed to be a special day—the celebration of Good Friday. Sunday is another special day, Easter morning church service and then our family gathering to celebrate Jesus Christ and the aforementioned birthdays. But a family member will be missing. There will be this hole in our family and I have been battling the past week on how we can fill it.
The past several days I have been trying to think of ways to keep things joyful. Pretend it isn’t happening…bring out a funny DVD of a Christian comedian…put together some special Easter baskets for my kids and nephews…lots of different thoughts that I have had. In all honesty it has emotionally been a bit overwhelming. I have been feeling like I am trying to be the glue that keeps everything together and attempts to bring joy and peace in the midst of a very difficult and trying time.
I have also had my moments when I would like to do nothing more than just cancel everything. Forget even trying to make this happen. Call up family and announce the cancellation…they would probably understand. At one point I even thought that I should forget all about the plans I had this weekend to celebrate Easter—our Good Friday service, the Easter musical, and Sunday morning’s Easter service. How can I pretend to be happy when part of our world is falling apart? What if I don’t really feel like celebrating Easter?
Almost as quickly as I had those thoughts I was reminded of those dark moments that Jesus experienced the day He would hang on the cross for the sins of this world. It was now about the sixth hour (midday), and darkness enveloped the whole land and earth until the ninth hour (about three o’clock in the afternoon), while the sun’s light faded or was darkened; and the curtain [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two (Luke 23:44-45). Indeed it was a dark time. It was not a time of celebration. It seemed that all hope was gone. But who was there? Who was hanging in the balance between life and death? Jesus was. Even in the darkest moments He was there. In our dark moments as a family, He is there. But the darkness won’t remain just as it didn’t on the day He was crucified.
I love how Luke 24 starts off…BUT. But on the first day of the week… What we know about the word “but” is that it cancels everything before. Our debt was canceled. The darkness that had once clouded everything was canceled by the word “but.” Because in Luke 24:3 it says But when they went inside, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Why couldn't they find it? Because He had risen! The dark cloud had been lifted and Jesus’ resurrection paved the way for light and life.
My reminder, which is for anyone else who is experiencing something difficult in life right now, is that the darkness doesn’t remain forever. There may be a dark cloud hovering over you right now but Jesus is still there. Don’t feel like celebrating Easter? Do you think Jesus “felt” like hanging on a cross? Remember the reason for the celebrations of Easter, what He did for you and watch the dark cloud begin to break away.
Our family has other reasons to celebrate as well. My oldest son turns 16 this weekend. There is just something remarkable about that 16th birthday. It’s like a special turning point in a young person’s life. Childhood is just about to be completely left behind. A new season of life waits just around the corner.
We are also celebrating my mother’s 60th birthday which is yet another milestone in a special family member’s life. So many celebrations and so many good things to think about…but we have had this dark cloud covering the joys of all these celebrations. A marriage in our family is falling apart. It seems that prayers just aren’t quite getting answered the way we would like. Tomorrow is supposed to be a special day—the celebration of Good Friday. Sunday is another special day, Easter morning church service and then our family gathering to celebrate Jesus Christ and the aforementioned birthdays. But a family member will be missing. There will be this hole in our family and I have been battling the past week on how we can fill it.
The past several days I have been trying to think of ways to keep things joyful. Pretend it isn’t happening…bring out a funny DVD of a Christian comedian…put together some special Easter baskets for my kids and nephews…lots of different thoughts that I have had. In all honesty it has emotionally been a bit overwhelming. I have been feeling like I am trying to be the glue that keeps everything together and attempts to bring joy and peace in the midst of a very difficult and trying time.
I have also had my moments when I would like to do nothing more than just cancel everything. Forget even trying to make this happen. Call up family and announce the cancellation…they would probably understand. At one point I even thought that I should forget all about the plans I had this weekend to celebrate Easter—our Good Friday service, the Easter musical, and Sunday morning’s Easter service. How can I pretend to be happy when part of our world is falling apart? What if I don’t really feel like celebrating Easter?
Almost as quickly as I had those thoughts I was reminded of those dark moments that Jesus experienced the day He would hang on the cross for the sins of this world. It was now about the sixth hour (midday), and darkness enveloped the whole land and earth until the ninth hour (about three o’clock in the afternoon), while the sun’s light faded or was darkened; and the curtain [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two (Luke 23:44-45). Indeed it was a dark time. It was not a time of celebration. It seemed that all hope was gone. But who was there? Who was hanging in the balance between life and death? Jesus was. Even in the darkest moments He was there. In our dark moments as a family, He is there. But the darkness won’t remain just as it didn’t on the day He was crucified.
I love how Luke 24 starts off…BUT. But on the first day of the week… What we know about the word “but” is that it cancels everything before. Our debt was canceled. The darkness that had once clouded everything was canceled by the word “but.” Because in Luke 24:3 it says But when they went inside, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Why couldn't they find it? Because He had risen! The dark cloud had been lifted and Jesus’ resurrection paved the way for light and life.
My reminder, which is for anyone else who is experiencing something difficult in life right now, is that the darkness doesn’t remain forever. There may be a dark cloud hovering over you right now but Jesus is still there. Don’t feel like celebrating Easter? Do you think Jesus “felt” like hanging on a cross? Remember the reason for the celebrations of Easter, what He did for you and watch the dark cloud begin to break away.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Which Will It Be: Egypt or Promised Land?
The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt is a story that we can relate all relate to…leaving Egypt means leaving slavery. What things once enslaved you? I was enslaved to many things that held me and kept me in bondage for a great number of years. But then my day of Exodus came when God called me out from my own land of Egypt and brought me into the Promised Land.
Egypt for me meant searching for love in all the wrong places, it meant filling the emptiness in my life with alcohol and drugs. It was really an empty, meaningless life. I am so thankful for the day that my red sea was parted, when my next-door-neighbor invited me to go to church with her. It was then that I saw the mighty hand of God part the waters that would lead me to a better place. Leaving Egypt was the best thing that ever happened to me. You would think its how the Israelites would feel as well.
Sure, once they actually crossed the red sea there was a great deal of celebrating that took place. Many of us, when we left behind our Egypt probably experienced something similar. We had something to celebrate! We were once slaves but now we were free! However that celebration would die out quickly for some of them. Suddenly there would be a longing to go back to Egypt. What? How could that be? Why would anyone want to go back to slavery? The problem was that many times the Israelites only remembered the “good” things. They would fail to remember what it was like to be enslaved. It is sad to see this happen but it does with many people. They are like Lot’s wife who can’t help but look back at what they left behind.
For some people it is almost immediately after their deliverance from Egypt that they desire to go back to their old life. In Exodus 15:20 Miriam brings out a timbrel and the women begin dancing. They have just witnessed a mighty act. God not only delivered them but parted the red sea and caused the Egyptians who pursued them to drown. Yet in Exodus 15:24 just four verses after we read about the dancing, the people already begin to complain. This reminds me of the parable of the sower and the seeds. In Matthew 13:18-23 we read about the seeds of rebirth in Christ that are planted and what happens. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path (Matthew 13:19). The seed doesn’t seem to stand a chance. Any seed that is sown “along a path” can’t take root. The Israelites, who immediately began complaining just after their deliverance, is like the seed planted along the path.
Even when the Israelites complained and longed to back to their Egypt, God would provide for their needs. He wasn’t willing to give up so easily on their longing for slavery. He knew that they could enjoy freedom in a way they had never before experienced. But they were so foolish at times and yes, there were times that God allowed them to have what they wanted but made it so that they wished they had never complained. Some would trust God throughout the entire journey but others would not. Time and time again there is “murmuring” and “complaining” or some type of rebellion taking place. Discontentment is something that can easily settle in our hearts unless we guard against it.
It can be easy to long for the “old life.” We remember the “good times.” We forget about the enslavement part of our old life, our Egypt, and we fool ourselves into thinking it was a better life. Thankfully some who return to Egypt quickly realize the error of their ways but others remain in Egypt. It is very sad to see.
I can honestly say that I have never once longed for my Egypt. Once I was delivered, once I was set free I never wanted my old life back. It was nothing but chaos, strife, unrest, and disappointment. My promise land is peace, assurance, contentment and satisfaction in a life I would never trade.
Where are you at? Are you in the promise land and fully enjoying it? Or is there a part of you that longs for Egypt? Do you really want to be enslaved or do you want to enjoy the freedom that is found in Christ? Will you be like the Israelites who finally made it to the place God had for them or will you get lost in the journey, destroyed along the way? Don’t look back. Egypt has nothing for you. Look ahead to the promise land and all the goodness that God has in store for you!
Egypt for me meant searching for love in all the wrong places, it meant filling the emptiness in my life with alcohol and drugs. It was really an empty, meaningless life. I am so thankful for the day that my red sea was parted, when my next-door-neighbor invited me to go to church with her. It was then that I saw the mighty hand of God part the waters that would lead me to a better place. Leaving Egypt was the best thing that ever happened to me. You would think its how the Israelites would feel as well.
Sure, once they actually crossed the red sea there was a great deal of celebrating that took place. Many of us, when we left behind our Egypt probably experienced something similar. We had something to celebrate! We were once slaves but now we were free! However that celebration would die out quickly for some of them. Suddenly there would be a longing to go back to Egypt. What? How could that be? Why would anyone want to go back to slavery? The problem was that many times the Israelites only remembered the “good” things. They would fail to remember what it was like to be enslaved. It is sad to see this happen but it does with many people. They are like Lot’s wife who can’t help but look back at what they left behind.
For some people it is almost immediately after their deliverance from Egypt that they desire to go back to their old life. In Exodus 15:20 Miriam brings out a timbrel and the women begin dancing. They have just witnessed a mighty act. God not only delivered them but parted the red sea and caused the Egyptians who pursued them to drown. Yet in Exodus 15:24 just four verses after we read about the dancing, the people already begin to complain. This reminds me of the parable of the sower and the seeds. In Matthew 13:18-23 we read about the seeds of rebirth in Christ that are planted and what happens. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path (Matthew 13:19). The seed doesn’t seem to stand a chance. Any seed that is sown “along a path” can’t take root. The Israelites, who immediately began complaining just after their deliverance, is like the seed planted along the path.
Even when the Israelites complained and longed to back to their Egypt, God would provide for their needs. He wasn’t willing to give up so easily on their longing for slavery. He knew that they could enjoy freedom in a way they had never before experienced. But they were so foolish at times and yes, there were times that God allowed them to have what they wanted but made it so that they wished they had never complained. Some would trust God throughout the entire journey but others would not. Time and time again there is “murmuring” and “complaining” or some type of rebellion taking place. Discontentment is something that can easily settle in our hearts unless we guard against it.
It can be easy to long for the “old life.” We remember the “good times.” We forget about the enslavement part of our old life, our Egypt, and we fool ourselves into thinking it was a better life. Thankfully some who return to Egypt quickly realize the error of their ways but others remain in Egypt. It is very sad to see.
I can honestly say that I have never once longed for my Egypt. Once I was delivered, once I was set free I never wanted my old life back. It was nothing but chaos, strife, unrest, and disappointment. My promise land is peace, assurance, contentment and satisfaction in a life I would never trade.
Where are you at? Are you in the promise land and fully enjoying it? Or is there a part of you that longs for Egypt? Do you really want to be enslaved or do you want to enjoy the freedom that is found in Christ? Will you be like the Israelites who finally made it to the place God had for them or will you get lost in the journey, destroyed along the way? Don’t look back. Egypt has nothing for you. Look ahead to the promise land and all the goodness that God has in store for you!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
From Here I Am to Who Am I
Moses has been in my mind the past couple of weeks. Between reading about him in my Bible reading time and watching the 2006 version of “The Ten Commandments” I have been soaking him up like a sponge.
Last week I talked about the burning bush and how it represents God’s calling on our lives. The story of the burning bush doesn’t end with Moses responding “Here I am.” No, there is much more to the story that we can learn from.
God begins to lay out His plan. Every calling on our lives has a specific plan to it. We may not necessarily get the layout but there is one. Moses had a rare opportunity to hear that plan directly from God. God told Moses that He had heard the crying of His people, the Israelite slaves, and that He was going to rescue them. Moses would be part of that rescue. He was going to bring them to a place of milk and honey, as opposed to the slavery and cruelty they had been enduring. It would be Moses that would lead the way.
Some would like to chastise Moses for the way he responded. He did not respond favorably to what the Lord had presented him with. But how often do we do the same? God asks us to do something that either we don’t want to or we don’t think we are equipped to do. Think about it. “That’s all God? You mean there isn’t something grander or greater that you want me to do?” “Work in the nursery?” “Stay home and raise my children?” “Take a job making minimum wage?” There is an endless list of possibilities when it comes to God calling us to a task that we don’t think much of.
Then there are the plans that He has for us where we don’t feel equipped. That is exactly how Moses felt. He said, “Who am I?” Who am I that I should… You can fill in your own blanks. What is God calling you to do that you are questioning?
Here’s what I find especially interesting about all of this. The same man who said, “Here I am” was now saying “Who am I.” Isn’t that just like us? Here I am God, use me! Here I am God, send me! But then when God gets ready to do it, we question Him. Suddenly we ask, “Who am I?” We aren’t much different than Moses!
So Moses presents his “Who am I” argument and God makes it clear. He won’t be doing this alone. No, God never sends us to a place where He expects us to do it on our own. He goes with us. He would go with Moses. Not only did God tell Moses that He would go with him but that He would also provide a sign that God was the one who had sent him. Once the people were delivered from Egypt, Moses would worship God on the very same mountain that the burning bush was on. What a plan! Who wouldn’t jump at that, right?
But we know the story. Although God knew the time of deliverance would come, that Moses would lead the Israelites out, it wouldn’t happen for a long time and not until Moses would go through quite a few tests…not just with the Egyptians but with the complaining Israelites as well. God may have a plan for us but to get there, we may need to go through a few tests.
So God has laid it all out. He will go with Moses, the sign will be there and so Moses should be ready to move, right? Wrong! Moses isn’t done questioning God. He now wants to know what he should tell the people when they ask who has sent him to them. Plain and simple God says to tell them that “I AM” has sent Moses to them.
Moses still isn’t convinced. He asks, “What if they don’t believe me?” Not only are the “Who am I?’ questions obstacles that we create but so are our “What if”” questions. God lays it out but all we can think about are the “What ifs.” “What if this doesn’t work out God?” “What if we don’t financially make it?” “What if I’m stuck doing this forever?” “What if I don’t like it?” and the list goes on and on.
God is so patient with Moses. I often remind myself that if He can be that patient with Moses, then surely He can be so patient with me! God tells Moses to throw his staff on the ground and it turns into a snake! Moses runs from it but then God tells him to pick it up. He does and it turns back into a staff. God isn’t done yet, though. He then tells Moses to put his hand inside his cloak. He does and when he takes it out, it’s leprous like snow. He sticks his hand back inside and this time when he takes it out, it’s restored. Pretty cool!
One would think that Moses would be chiding himself for ever asking the questions and say, “Okay God, I’m ready!” But he doesn’t. No, he goes on to express how he has never been a very eloquent speaker. He still isn’t convinced that God has called him to the task. Now he is seeing nothing but his flaws and weaknesses. Are you spending more time looking at your flaws and weaknesses? Are you making excuses for not stepping out? That’s really all that Moses was doing, making excuses.
Yet again God is so very patient with Moses and explains that it is God who makes man to talk. He would be the one to help Moses speak. If God can turn a staff into a snake and make a hand leprous, surely He can help Moses speak!
By this time Moses has gone from “Here I am” to “Who am I?” to “What If?” to now pointing out his flaws and weaknesses. You would think it would end there. Wrong again!
Now Moses gets to the real heart of the matter. “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” The truth is that from the very beginning Moses had no interest in God’s plan. He didn’t want to do it. It didn’t matter what great signs God would provide, the miraculous things He would do to prove Himself…Moses didn’t want to be the one to do it. He was probably content to stay in the place he was at, happily married and tending his sheep. He had left Egypt and the last place he wanted to be was back there.
Well God’s patience finally runs out. Take that to heart. God can get to a point where we have done so much questioning, made so many excuses, tried so hard to get out of His plan for our life that we can make Him angry. I don’t know about you but that’s not a place I want to be.
God tells him that his brother Aaron will be the one to speak for Him. God would still use Moses but not to the full measure that He had intended. Think about that. How would things have turned out differently if Moses had not asked God to send someone else? I can’t help but wonder if it would have been easier to get the Israelites out of Egypt if only he had trusted God from the beginning.
What have we possibly missed out on because we refused to go along with God’s plans? Who has been put in the place that was originally intended for us? At the time Moses had no idea the incredible things that would take place—the parting of the Red Sea, the intimacy he would have with God, receiving the Ten Commandments and so much more. If he knew, I bet he never would have questioned and argued with God so much. What about you? What have you been questioning God about? Have you been arguing with Him? Don’t miss out on a single God moment by trying to wiggle your way out. Let God be God and do His work in you.
Last week I talked about the burning bush and how it represents God’s calling on our lives. The story of the burning bush doesn’t end with Moses responding “Here I am.” No, there is much more to the story that we can learn from.
God begins to lay out His plan. Every calling on our lives has a specific plan to it. We may not necessarily get the layout but there is one. Moses had a rare opportunity to hear that plan directly from God. God told Moses that He had heard the crying of His people, the Israelite slaves, and that He was going to rescue them. Moses would be part of that rescue. He was going to bring them to a place of milk and honey, as opposed to the slavery and cruelty they had been enduring. It would be Moses that would lead the way.
Some would like to chastise Moses for the way he responded. He did not respond favorably to what the Lord had presented him with. But how often do we do the same? God asks us to do something that either we don’t want to or we don’t think we are equipped to do. Think about it. “That’s all God? You mean there isn’t something grander or greater that you want me to do?” “Work in the nursery?” “Stay home and raise my children?” “Take a job making minimum wage?” There is an endless list of possibilities when it comes to God calling us to a task that we don’t think much of.
Then there are the plans that He has for us where we don’t feel equipped. That is exactly how Moses felt. He said, “Who am I?” Who am I that I should… You can fill in your own blanks. What is God calling you to do that you are questioning?
Here’s what I find especially interesting about all of this. The same man who said, “Here I am” was now saying “Who am I.” Isn’t that just like us? Here I am God, use me! Here I am God, send me! But then when God gets ready to do it, we question Him. Suddenly we ask, “Who am I?” We aren’t much different than Moses!
So Moses presents his “Who am I” argument and God makes it clear. He won’t be doing this alone. No, God never sends us to a place where He expects us to do it on our own. He goes with us. He would go with Moses. Not only did God tell Moses that He would go with him but that He would also provide a sign that God was the one who had sent him. Once the people were delivered from Egypt, Moses would worship God on the very same mountain that the burning bush was on. What a plan! Who wouldn’t jump at that, right?
But we know the story. Although God knew the time of deliverance would come, that Moses would lead the Israelites out, it wouldn’t happen for a long time and not until Moses would go through quite a few tests…not just with the Egyptians but with the complaining Israelites as well. God may have a plan for us but to get there, we may need to go through a few tests.
So God has laid it all out. He will go with Moses, the sign will be there and so Moses should be ready to move, right? Wrong! Moses isn’t done questioning God. He now wants to know what he should tell the people when they ask who has sent him to them. Plain and simple God says to tell them that “I AM” has sent Moses to them.
Moses still isn’t convinced. He asks, “What if they don’t believe me?” Not only are the “Who am I?’ questions obstacles that we create but so are our “What if”” questions. God lays it out but all we can think about are the “What ifs.” “What if this doesn’t work out God?” “What if we don’t financially make it?” “What if I’m stuck doing this forever?” “What if I don’t like it?” and the list goes on and on.
God is so patient with Moses. I often remind myself that if He can be that patient with Moses, then surely He can be so patient with me! God tells Moses to throw his staff on the ground and it turns into a snake! Moses runs from it but then God tells him to pick it up. He does and it turns back into a staff. God isn’t done yet, though. He then tells Moses to put his hand inside his cloak. He does and when he takes it out, it’s leprous like snow. He sticks his hand back inside and this time when he takes it out, it’s restored. Pretty cool!
One would think that Moses would be chiding himself for ever asking the questions and say, “Okay God, I’m ready!” But he doesn’t. No, he goes on to express how he has never been a very eloquent speaker. He still isn’t convinced that God has called him to the task. Now he is seeing nothing but his flaws and weaknesses. Are you spending more time looking at your flaws and weaknesses? Are you making excuses for not stepping out? That’s really all that Moses was doing, making excuses.
Yet again God is so very patient with Moses and explains that it is God who makes man to talk. He would be the one to help Moses speak. If God can turn a staff into a snake and make a hand leprous, surely He can help Moses speak!
By this time Moses has gone from “Here I am” to “Who am I?” to “What If?” to now pointing out his flaws and weaknesses. You would think it would end there. Wrong again!
Now Moses gets to the real heart of the matter. “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” The truth is that from the very beginning Moses had no interest in God’s plan. He didn’t want to do it. It didn’t matter what great signs God would provide, the miraculous things He would do to prove Himself…Moses didn’t want to be the one to do it. He was probably content to stay in the place he was at, happily married and tending his sheep. He had left Egypt and the last place he wanted to be was back there.
Well God’s patience finally runs out. Take that to heart. God can get to a point where we have done so much questioning, made so many excuses, tried so hard to get out of His plan for our life that we can make Him angry. I don’t know about you but that’s not a place I want to be.
God tells him that his brother Aaron will be the one to speak for Him. God would still use Moses but not to the full measure that He had intended. Think about that. How would things have turned out differently if Moses had not asked God to send someone else? I can’t help but wonder if it would have been easier to get the Israelites out of Egypt if only he had trusted God from the beginning.
What have we possibly missed out on because we refused to go along with God’s plans? Who has been put in the place that was originally intended for us? At the time Moses had no idea the incredible things that would take place—the parting of the Red Sea, the intimacy he would have with God, receiving the Ten Commandments and so much more. If he knew, I bet he never would have questioned and argued with God so much. What about you? What have you been questioning God about? Have you been arguing with Him? Don’t miss out on a single God moment by trying to wiggle your way out. Let God be God and do His work in you.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
What Is Your Burning Bush?
Some of my most favorite Old Testament stories are those that took place during the life of Moses. From the time he was placed in the Nile River in order to save his life, to the time he passed away are hundreds of lessons and insights that we can learn from.
One of those favorite stories is the burning bush. Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up (Exodus 3:1-2). It may seem difficult to understand how the story of the burning bush could apply to our lives. However, I believe that every one of us have a burning bush. The burning bush represents the calling that God has on our lives.
God may not be calling to us through the hedge in our front yard but He is calling to us all the same. He has a plan for every single one of us. God is looking for a response. When Moses saw the burning bush and heard a strange voice calling his name, he could have easily run away. That’s probably what I would have done had my bush called out to me. But instead Moses responded, “Here I am.” Here I am. There is a song called “Here I Am” that has some amazing lyrics:
Sometimes Your calling comes in dreams
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit’s breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity.
But I’m a man of dust and stains
You move in me so I can say
(CHORUS)
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am
Just as the calling God has on our lives is unique, so is the way that we will discover it. God works in some amazing ways. But sometimes God also works in the simplest ways. In fact, too often we are looking for the experience. We want the experience of having something amazing happen…like a fiery bush with the voice of God booming from within it. In search of the experience, we miss out on hearing God’s voice in the simple, ordinary ways of life.
The second verse in the song “Here I Am” says:
When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when its hard to stand?
I know that You will finish what You began
Moses had an interesting beginning. He should have been killed along with all the other Israelite boys that had been slaughtered. Pharaoh ordered the killing of the slaves’ baby boys but Moses’ mother had another plan. She risked her life, the life of her husband and children and Moses when she put him into a basket and sent him down the Nile River. Even sending him into the river was risky because of crocodiles. But God would finish what He had begun in the life of Moses.
The final verse of the song “Here I Am” goes this way:
Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I’ll fail You in the end
In this mess I’m just one of the pieces
I can’t put this together but You can
Keep in mind that Moses’ burning bush experience was during a weak moment in his life. Up until then he had been running from everything. He had run from the life he was born into, as an Israelite slave. He had killed an Egyptian and ran to save his life from punishment. He had run from his upbringing as an Egyptian prince. He ran from his home and everyone he knew.
He was not at some high point in his life when God spoke to him through the burning bush. We sometimes get that wrong, too. We think that we have to be in a specific place in life, on top of things and already prepared for what God has. Most often God chooses us when we are least prepared. This song reminds me so much of Moses and the burning bush. He would eventually realize that although he was overwhelmed by the thought of his weakness…although he was terrified of failing God…although he was just one piece in a big pile of mess…he knew that in the end it would be God who would put it all together and make it work.
There is really so much more to this burning bush story that I could go on. So I will leave you with this for now…but next week I will continue with the lessons that can be learned from the story of the burning bush. Now think about it…what is your burning bush?
One of those favorite stories is the burning bush. Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up (Exodus 3:1-2). It may seem difficult to understand how the story of the burning bush could apply to our lives. However, I believe that every one of us have a burning bush. The burning bush represents the calling that God has on our lives.
God may not be calling to us through the hedge in our front yard but He is calling to us all the same. He has a plan for every single one of us. God is looking for a response. When Moses saw the burning bush and heard a strange voice calling his name, he could have easily run away. That’s probably what I would have done had my bush called out to me. But instead Moses responded, “Here I am.” Here I am. There is a song called “Here I Am” that has some amazing lyrics:
Sometimes Your calling comes in dreams
Sometimes it comes in the Spirit’s breeze
You reach for the deepest hope in me
And call out for the things of eternity.
But I’m a man of dust and stains
You move in me so I can say
(CHORUS)
Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan
Here I am
Just as the calling God has on our lives is unique, so is the way that we will discover it. God works in some amazing ways. But sometimes God also works in the simplest ways. In fact, too often we are looking for the experience. We want the experience of having something amazing happen…like a fiery bush with the voice of God booming from within it. In search of the experience, we miss out on hearing God’s voice in the simple, ordinary ways of life.
The second verse in the song “Here I Am” says:
When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when its hard to stand?
I know that You will finish what You began
Moses had an interesting beginning. He should have been killed along with all the other Israelite boys that had been slaughtered. Pharaoh ordered the killing of the slaves’ baby boys but Moses’ mother had another plan. She risked her life, the life of her husband and children and Moses when she put him into a basket and sent him down the Nile River. Even sending him into the river was risky because of crocodiles. But God would finish what He had begun in the life of Moses.
The final verse of the song “Here I Am” goes this way:
Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I’ll fail You in the end
In this mess I’m just one of the pieces
I can’t put this together but You can
Keep in mind that Moses’ burning bush experience was during a weak moment in his life. Up until then he had been running from everything. He had run from the life he was born into, as an Israelite slave. He had killed an Egyptian and ran to save his life from punishment. He had run from his upbringing as an Egyptian prince. He ran from his home and everyone he knew.
He was not at some high point in his life when God spoke to him through the burning bush. We sometimes get that wrong, too. We think that we have to be in a specific place in life, on top of things and already prepared for what God has. Most often God chooses us when we are least prepared. This song reminds me so much of Moses and the burning bush. He would eventually realize that although he was overwhelmed by the thought of his weakness…although he was terrified of failing God…although he was just one piece in a big pile of mess…he knew that in the end it would be God who would put it all together and make it work.
There is really so much more to this burning bush story that I could go on. So I will leave you with this for now…but next week I will continue with the lessons that can be learned from the story of the burning bush. Now think about it…what is your burning bush?
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Are You Full of Holes?
I have been reading the story of Moses the past few days. He is considered to be one of the Bible “greats.” His life is a truly amazing one. But I think what I can relate most to is how real he was. To me he is like the Old Testament version of Peter. He loved the Lord but he also had his moments where his temper would overtake him. In fact, it got him into trouble on more than one occasion.
I find it interesting that although Moses was allowed such intimacy with God…although he would be the man to lead the Israelites out of Egypt…although he would see God’s awesome power displayed again and again…he had yet another “flaw” besides his temper. He questioned God a lot. From the moment God called him, he seemed to question God’s plans. He questioned if he was the man to do the job, he questioned his ability to speak and to lead the people of Israel. It didn’t matter how many miracles God had shown him, he still questioned God quite a bit. I actually find that comforting.
How often I have questioned God and then later felt bad for doing so. I think sometimes we try so hard to be super-spiritual that we miss out on the lessons to be learned when we mess up. Yes, there are lessons to be learned when we have messed things up. Without those lessons we couldn’t really be refined. I would rather be that imperfect person who is loved enough by God to be corrected, than so high and mighty that God can’t even do anything in me. I want to be penetrable and the only way I can be is to have some holes…holes in my soul…holes in my heart…holes in the places that only God can really fill. If I block those holes, I block his work.
I guess I just want everyone to realize that even the great men and women of the Bible had faults. They had weaknesses. They messed up. They were full of holes and like us; they needed to be filled with the love and grace of God. I think we need to really get this for two reasons. The first is so that we stop beating ourselves up. God isn’t requiring perfection from us. The guilt we battle with is not from Him. Secondly, I think we need to get this so that we can stop looking at others and expecting perfection from them. We need to stop being so judgmental and condemning. We need to stop focusing on their flaws. God can use anyone.
One of my favorite verses is found in I Corinthians 1:26-28: Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.
Think about Moses again. He was all of those things yet God used him. Do you realize the impact your life can have on the world around you when you really get this? It gives you a whole new sense of what God can do in anyone. Many years ago these verses helped lift me out of the despair I used to feel over the person I was. Why would God ever use me, I would question. I don’t question that anymore. I don’t question it because I earned a PhD in perfection. I didn’t even earn a PhD in confidence. No my confidence is in the Lord.
So why would God do this? Why would He choose the so-called unwise, those without influence, the foolish, the weak, the lowly, and the despised? Would you? If you had to choose your mate, your children, and your friends would these be the type of people you would intentionally choose? Aren’t you glad that God isn’t like us? I know I am! It goes on in verse 29 to explain why God would choose these types of people: …so that no one may boast before Him. If we already had it together, we wouldn’t need God. We would be boasting about how “together” we are. I don’t know about you but I have nothing to boast about. All that I am and hope to be is because of Him. Full of holes? Good! That means God can begin to fill them!
I find it interesting that although Moses was allowed such intimacy with God…although he would be the man to lead the Israelites out of Egypt…although he would see God’s awesome power displayed again and again…he had yet another “flaw” besides his temper. He questioned God a lot. From the moment God called him, he seemed to question God’s plans. He questioned if he was the man to do the job, he questioned his ability to speak and to lead the people of Israel. It didn’t matter how many miracles God had shown him, he still questioned God quite a bit. I actually find that comforting.
How often I have questioned God and then later felt bad for doing so. I think sometimes we try so hard to be super-spiritual that we miss out on the lessons to be learned when we mess up. Yes, there are lessons to be learned when we have messed things up. Without those lessons we couldn’t really be refined. I would rather be that imperfect person who is loved enough by God to be corrected, than so high and mighty that God can’t even do anything in me. I want to be penetrable and the only way I can be is to have some holes…holes in my soul…holes in my heart…holes in the places that only God can really fill. If I block those holes, I block his work.
I guess I just want everyone to realize that even the great men and women of the Bible had faults. They had weaknesses. They messed up. They were full of holes and like us; they needed to be filled with the love and grace of God. I think we need to really get this for two reasons. The first is so that we stop beating ourselves up. God isn’t requiring perfection from us. The guilt we battle with is not from Him. Secondly, I think we need to get this so that we can stop looking at others and expecting perfection from them. We need to stop being so judgmental and condemning. We need to stop focusing on their flaws. God can use anyone.
One of my favorite verses is found in I Corinthians 1:26-28: Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are.
Think about Moses again. He was all of those things yet God used him. Do you realize the impact your life can have on the world around you when you really get this? It gives you a whole new sense of what God can do in anyone. Many years ago these verses helped lift me out of the despair I used to feel over the person I was. Why would God ever use me, I would question. I don’t question that anymore. I don’t question it because I earned a PhD in perfection. I didn’t even earn a PhD in confidence. No my confidence is in the Lord.
So why would God do this? Why would He choose the so-called unwise, those without influence, the foolish, the weak, the lowly, and the despised? Would you? If you had to choose your mate, your children, and your friends would these be the type of people you would intentionally choose? Aren’t you glad that God isn’t like us? I know I am! It goes on in verse 29 to explain why God would choose these types of people: …so that no one may boast before Him. If we already had it together, we wouldn’t need God. We would be boasting about how “together” we are. I don’t know about you but I have nothing to boast about. All that I am and hope to be is because of Him. Full of holes? Good! That means God can begin to fill them!
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