Our Provider

I heard the following story when growing up.  When my older sister was a toddler, my mother would wash her cloth diapers over the bathtub.  One night, it seemed she wasn't making any progress in getting the job done. "I didn't realize there were this many," she thought. Passing by the bathroom, my dad watched as my mother would place a washed, damp diaper to the side, only to see my sister retrieve one from the same pile and place back into the bathtub behind my mother's back. Amid laughter, he pointed out to my mother her double duty.

I thought of this while reading I Kings 17, concerning the widow at Zarephath.  The Lord sent Elijah to her during the dry spell, ensuring him she would provide for his needs. Upon a request for water, she obliged. However, when he asked for a bite of bread, she could only refuse. She explained she only had enough for her and her son to have one final meal. But Elijah told her, if she would honor God's man, all of her needs would be provided for.

Taking him at his word, she prepared a meal for Elijah first. Then for her family of two. She did the same day after day, only to find she never ran out of flour or meal. She'd turn her back and, while it was turned, God would add a little more to her stock. Every time she turned around, he'd blessed her yet again. Every time she turned around, He was making a way.

Here's another vein of thought. If we'd turn our eyes off our lack, our problems, etc., and let God work in the situation without our fretting and counting pennies, we might see something different when we take a second look at it in due time. I know I've had to do this for myself these past couple of weeks. It was as if God was saying, "If you'll let it go, stop dwelling on it, and shift your attention to other matters, I'll work in this. And before you know it, this will be resolved." Sure enough, that's just what happened. Let go, and let God.

Security

A friend of mine has the most adorable little, three-year-old daughter.  I remember when she was about a year old how she used to walk around their house with her favorite blanket.  She was so at one with that blanket that sometimes she wouldn't even hold it in her hand but would instead put a corner of the blanket between her teeth and proceed with walking, the blanket dragging alongside her.  My friend said, "I'm thinking of a way to add vitamins to the blanket considering how much she keeps it in her mouth."

We never really grow up from our need for security.  You may not carry a blanket around with you, but you have some other forms of it.  For some, security is found in money.  As long as a certain amount is in the bank, they feel like they have a good hold on life.  For others, it could be another person and, should that person ever become unavailable, their life would fall apart. 

Guess what?  It's OK to need to feel secure; it's OK to have security.  Just have it in something eternal instead of the temporal things of this world. 

II Samuel 22 is David's Song of Praise.  In verse 3, David mentions his security blanket..."He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold, my high tower, my savior, the one who saves me from violence."  Coming from a mighty king, that's quite a statement!  David knew in whom he believed, and he was persuaded the Lord of Hosts could keep and preserve him through anything.  Notice that David didn't mention any earthly gain or possessions, of which I'm sure he had much.  No, he mentioned the one, true, and living God. 

Allstate can say all they want.  But you're in good hands with Yahweh.  Now that's security.

As I've mentioned before, I've started working with a personal trainer in a more focused attempt to get in shape.  I did well on my own for a while, losing some 20+ pounds.  But the last 15 have been more of a challenge for me.  I'd lose 5 lbs. and then gain 7 lbs.; I'd lose 7 and then gain 5.  I came to the conclusion that I needed to change up my workouts, but I didn't know who to go about doing that...safely.  Hence, my decision to hire a personal trainer. I knew a trainer would not only hold me accountable to a proper diet but also would push me more than I'd know to push myself.

I couldn't have been more correct! His name is Luke, and he works me like crazy.  He adds an additional 5 or 10 lbs. to my weight load, walks in with a heavier medicine ball...I just never know what he's going to pull next.  What I abhor the most is running laps.  I never have been the running type, even when I was a child.  If THIS girl is running, it's because an insect of some sort has made itself known in my presence, and I'm looking for the nearest escape route.  And on Day 1, he tells me I'm to run 3 laps?!?  "Do you want me to run with you?" Luke asked.  Well, of course I did.  I'd never run a lap before, and I didn't want to go at it alone.  About 1/3 of the way through, I was glad he was beside me.  By that point, I was ready to give up and just walk the rest of the way.  Still, I knew I had to keep up with him, and he just wasn't stopping.  Thursday he pushed me to run 3.5 laps.  Again he asked, "Do you still want me to run with you?"  You'd better believe I said yes.  As long as he was there with me, running beside me, I somehow could find the strength to keeping picking up my feet and putting them down again.  With him next to me, I know I'll make it to the end, even when I don't feel like I will.

The Israelites had a similar inspiration in the Ark of the Covenant.  It represented God's presence and, without it, they were doomed.  David realized the importance of having it when he learned how blessed Obed-edom of Gath became after leaving the Ark at his home.  II Samuel 6:11 reads, "The Ark of the LORD remained there with the family of Obed-edom for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household" (NLT).  When David heard that, he knew he had to retrieve the Ark for the sake of all of Israel.  With it, and in obedience to God, they were on the winning side.  They could accomplish any task or feat, but they needed God with them, beside them every step of the way. 

Next Tuesday, Luke warned me that we're taking it up to 4 laps!  I'm already dreading the "I can't make it" feeling I get during the 2nd lap.  But Luke will be in the lane right beside me, and I will keep up.  Together, we will run 4 laps. 

What's Got Your Goat?

I take an annual trip to Kenya with a medical mission team. We assist a community known as Bethlehem Home -- truly, the poorest of the poor. Because AIDS has wiped out a large portion of the middle generation in Kenya, many children are without parents, and many elders are without adult children to care for them.  This is the case with the elders and orphans of Bethlehem Home.  One man in the community sees to it that the elders and orphans get at least one meal a day.  Given the alternating periods of drought and flooding, it's a tough goal to meet on a daily basis. Still, God faithfully provides.

On our last Sunday with them, the community shares a fine gourmet meal with us -- roasted goat.  Now, this might not measure up to your foie gras, but for them, this is major.  More often than not, meat is not a part of their diet.  Yet, when we're departing, they share it with us in love.

David had to encourage his men to do some sharing in I Samuel 30:23.

But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. 

He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us.  

Interesting how those with nothing often are more likely to give of their lack than those who have plenty.  It's easy for us to point an accusing finger, but when we do so, we have three pointing back at us.  Ever been selfish with your time? Too busy to encourage someone? Too busy to listen to someone who just needs to talk?  Take what you have (talents, time, skill sets, knowledge), and share it with someone else...invest it in someone else.  Pay it forward, and watch what God can do with it.

When we accept that final meal from our dear friends, we're receiving much more than something to fill our bellies.  We're reminded of how faithful God is to provide for them, what true love is, how blessed we are, the value of true friendship, and the list goes on.  

What can you share today? What are you grasping hold of so selfishly? What's got your goat? Why aren't you giving it away?

Get Serious.

A while back, I got serious about getting in shape. Prior resolutions to do so had fallen through.  In the morning, I would say to myself, "I'm going to the gym this afternoon." But by the time the afternoon rolled around, I could come up with at least two reasons why I didn't have time to go.  "I'll go tomorrow," I'd say to console myself. "Tomorrow" would come, and the same thing would happen again. 

I finally had a good one-on-one meeting with self and concluded something had to change if what I spoke with my lips or thought in my head was going to come to fruition in my form. I got serious about the matter and hired a personal trainer. I knew if I were scheduled to meet with someone at a specified time to do something, I wouldn't stand him/her up. That's just rude. I might stand myself up, but not anyone else. After acquiring a trainer, I started living differently.  I gave up some things and took on some others. I swapped out Coca-Cola for water. Burgers went by the wayside, and vegetables became more alluring. You get the picture.

Samuel had to give the same wake up call to the Israelites.

Then Samuel said to all the people of Israel, 

“If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, 

get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. 

Determine to obey only the Lord; then he will rescue you from the Philistines.” 

(I Sa. 7:3)

If you're serious about something, it should show forth in your actions. Being serious about getting in shape meant actually going to the gym. I couldn't just think or talk about it. For the Israelites, getting serious about returning to the Lord meant putting aside those things that were contrary to His law. In a sense, Samuel told them, "If you're serious, act like it."

We can take this same advice today. What spiritual commitments have we made with our mouths that we've yet to follow up with action?  What have we resolved to do in prayer that we've not made a move toward in practice? Songwriter Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) aptly describes this in "The Altar and the Door."

Lord, this time, I'll make it right

Here at the altar I'll lay my life

Your Kingdom come, but my will was done

My heart is broken as I...

Cry like so many times before

But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor, oh Lord

I try, but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through

Between the altar and the door

Get serious with yourself.  We say, "Practice what you preach." We need to add, "Practice what you pray." Don't lose your follow through.

Reading of the Will

There's a book by John Grisham in which the heirs of billionaire anxiously await the elderly man's death to receive their "due" inheritance. After his death, the heirs can practically smell the money that they're sure is coming their way, and they start to make extravagant decisions and purchases on the assumption of millions to come. Little do they know that the deceased has willed his estate to an unknown lady doing a work for the Lord in a remote part of the world--his own daughter.  Oh, the dismay when the heirs learn there will not be a "Black Friday" for them for quite some time.

Moses and Joshua distributed Jacob's estate. Every tribe received some amount of land but, when it was Levi's turn, the tribe received nothing...nothing tangible, that is.

"But Moses gave no land to the tribe of Levi, for the Lord, the God of Israel had promised to be their inheritance" (Jos. 13:33).

What a deal!! More than wealth and land, Levi received something eternal--something unaffected by moth, rust, drought, etc. Just like Levi, our inheritance is eternal. Some may choose to give it up for temporary gain in the trappings offered by this world. But the best is yet to come.

In Memory of You

How many times have we done something in memory of another?  Written/read a poem, sung a song, given a donation, sponsored a walk, planted a tree, etc.  After crossing the Jordan, God commanded Joshua to have 12 men gather a stone a piece to build a memorial.

"In the future, your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?' Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord's covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel (Jos. 4:7)."

These stones were to trigger a story of remembrance--a testimony to be passed down from generation to generation.  Just as Jacob's grandchildren likely asked, "Papa, why do you limp like that?", Joshua's successive generations would ask, "What's with these rocks?" and the instilling of another piece of their heritage would begin.  A seed would be planted in recalling how a faithful God helped the Israelites cross the Jordan in the midst of the flood season. Yet another story of deliverance through water in this God-ordained heritage.

We also have testimonies to share--those of deliverance, healing, undue mercy, undeserved grace, protection...and the list goes on. In what way has God made you victorious? As you look back, what memorials do you see? 

There's an old song that says, "I am a living testimony. I should have been dead and gone, but Lord, You let me live on. I am a living testimony. I thank the Lord that I'm still alive." Are YOU a memorial?

I've seen miracle after miracle

Performed in my life

You kept having mercy on me

I didn't even deserve to be alive

When I faced dangers I couldn't see

Lord, You kept Your angels encamped around me

And I wanna take this time and say

Thank You, Lord, for keeping me alive

I am a living testimony

I should have been dead and gone

But Lord, You let me live on

I am a living testimony

I thank the Lord I'm still alive

"Living Testimony" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgb-X40-1_k&feature=related

Pilgrim's Progress

I once heard a lady speak about leaving a legacy -- a heritage -- for your children.  But she wasn't referring to family relics or financial inheritances. Instead, she was speaking in a spiritual sense.  "Let them know who they are, where they've come from, why they're here.  Whom did their ancestors serve? Whom didn't they serve?"

And the most-prized possession she'd already passed down to her eldest daughter was her personal Bible. It was a one-year study Bible that guided the reader from Genesis to Revelation in the span of a year's time.  As she read through the entire Bible that year, she wrote notes in the margins -- notes that included her personal reflection on certain passages, how a particular scripture spoke to her on a particular day, advice she wanted to leave with her daughter, references to scriptures that she thought would strengthen her daughter, etc. When Christmas came around, she presented this gift to her eldest, who was moved to tears. But she couldn't keep the Bible that Dec. 25. Her mother asked for it back that she might finish out the year's readings to fully complete her task. The year that she spoke of this, she'd already purchased another one-year Bible and was repeating the journey for her second daughter. Within its pages were different personalized notations, different scriptures were underlined and highlighted, for it was a different year for a different daughter, and the mother was at a different place in her spiritual journey. 

After their mother passes, those daughters will have not only the spiritual legacy she implanted in them as she raised them but also the worn pages of a spiritual walk their mother took, bringing them closer to her in spirit than any quilt or china she could leave in their possession.

God instructed Israel to do the same for the generations that would follow. 

"At the Lord's direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress.  These are the stages of their march, identified by the different places they stopped along the way.   They set out from the city of Ramses on the morning after the first Passover celebration in early spring.  The people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of the Egyptians..." 

(Nu. 33:2-3, NLT)

In like manner, God told the Israelites to inform their descendants.  "Let them know who they are, where they've come from, why they're here.  Whom did their ancestors serve? Whom didn't they serve?" For a time would come when they might not have a tabernacle or tent of meeting in which to worship and bring sacrifices. Still, they needed to know and mentally grasp that no matter their place in life -- free or in bondage -- they were the children of a delivering God who always is standing by.

Leviticus...It's kind of a messy book.  Everywhere you turn, there's blood.  Verse, after verse, after verse mentions the spilling/releasing of blood.  The word "blood" is used in Leviticus more than 80 times.  Perhaps this verse explains the purpose and necessity of this fluid best:

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, 

and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, 

for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life." 

(Lev. 17:11)

Hymns written long ago commonly focused on blood and its atonement, perhaps more so than Christian music today. Do any of these ring a bell with you?

• "I see a crimson stream of blood; it flows from Calvary. It's waves, which reach the throne of God, are sweeping over me."
• "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!"
• "Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow? There's power in the blood, power in the blood! Sin's stains are lost in its life-giving flow. There's wonderful power in the blood!"
• "There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins. And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains."
• "Alas and did my Savior bleed and did my Sovereign die! Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?"
• "Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, and be washed in the blood of the Lamb. There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean. Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!"
• "I know it was the blood; I know it was the blood. I know it was the bloodblood for me." for me. One day when I was lost, Jesus died on the cross. And I know it was the

"We need to learn how to celebrate the cross," says songwriter and minister Donnie McClurkin.  "It is the cross of Calvary that gives us access to eternal life. It was a bloody cross. It was a cross of suffering. It was a gory cross. It was by His sacrifice that salvation was extended unto man."

Our Christian forefathers certainly celebrated. Have we forgotten to do so? "Worship is not solely about focusing on the pleasant aspects of the Christian faith. After all, the book of Psalms -- Israel's hymnbook -- includes songs of lament and sorrow over sin, as well as uplifting praises of thanksgiving and gratitude" (Integrity's iWorship Daily Devotional Bible).  

Let us not forget the power of this "life-giving flow." So much more can and should be sung about the miraculous atonement extended to us and generations to come.

This Way or That?

I'm headed to Houston with a friend for our denomination's national general conference.  We both love road trips, and she's a pro with a road atlas.  Some friends prefer GPS, but a road atlas doesn't require a signal.

During the trip, I started talking about the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. "They would not listen to God," my friend said.  "That's why I pray, God, help me to hear You. Help me to listen and obey."

This prayer was spoken when we were having a conversation about the Israelites and their 40-year stint in the wilderness. There was a much shorter, direct route to the Promised Land from Egypt than the direction they went.

Why the delay? God had some things to work on with the Israelites. He got them out of Egypt, but now He had to work on getting Egypt out of them.  Having been through the Red Sea, eaten food directly from heaven, and drinking water from a rock, what does He find them doing in Moses' absence?  Worshiping a golden calf! Say what??

Not only did God need to get Egypt of out of them, He had to put something new in its place. He had to show them His faithfulness and get up close and personal so that they could see Him for who He really was and be unable to do anything other than worship Him.

Sounds easy enough, right? Well, it took 40 years. That's why my friend was asking God to help her listen AND obey.  "If I don't do both, I might end up on some circuitous routes that I could have avoided altogether had I just done as He said."

To walk in His way, we need to stay tune in to His direction, His leading. And not just tuned in, but obedient as well.  How's your signal?

I Brought You in This World, and I Can Take You Out

Jealousy.  That's one characteristic we immediately frown upon when spoken of or observed in another.  But that's the term God used to describe Himself to Israel.  God even went as far as to say His name is Jealous.

"For thou shalt worship no other god: 

for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

(Exodus 34:14) 

One 21st-century icon said when she heard as a child that God was jealous, it changed her perspective of Him.  "I was raised a Baptist, and we were too hung up on traditional ways. I was sitting in church and heard that God is a jealous God. I asked 'Why?' Come on; let's get over it!"  But we have to consider why God is jealous.  Having responded to the Israelites' groaning and rescuing them from slavery, He expected the people to worship and reverence Him.  He took them across dry ground and through the Sea of Reeds, wiped out Pharaoh's entire army, and provided food, water, and shelter in the wilderness (along with a spectacular "compass" of sorts). Wasn't that reason enough to ask the people to stick to their end of the covenant? It's similar to past days of childhood when the parent says, "If you're going to live under my roof, eat my food at my table, and sleep in the bed I provided, you're going to follow my rules. I brought you in this world, and I can take you out." God had some rules for the Israelites and some repercussions if they didn't obey.

God is jealous in the sense that He has a "righteous zeal" for our worship and love, and He doesn't want to share it with another.  We may say we have no idols, but lack of a graven image is not the absence of idolatry. Idols can include time, money, people, success, absorption with self-image, etc. God wants ALL of our worship and reverence; He's just jealous like that.

 

The Lord Is My Banner

The first attempt at so-called "reality TV" in the United States was a show called "Survivor."  The creators wondered, "What would happen if 20 or so random strangers were placed on a remote island, stripped of all bare necessities, and forced to live together for 39 days? What will a person do to be the last standing survivor?" The larger question is who in their right mind would sign up for such an experiment? Tack on $1 million, and we see that some 300 participants have accepted the challenge in the course of the show's 21 seasons.

When participants first reach their destination, they're divided into two tribes.  Once assigned to a tribe, producer Jeff Probst give each tribe a set of buffs, which are distinct for each tribe and can be worn as a headband, tube top, bow tie, armband, or miniskirt, do-rag.  It serves as a mark of distinction, giving each player an identity and a sense of belonging. Immediately, an "us vs. them" mentality sets in and, with a matching flag, they march off to set up camp. Once the campsite is selected, the flag post is forcefully shoved into the sand, marking the territory of the tribe.  Wherever the tribe goes, the flag goes, too.  Headed to a challenge against the opposing tribe? Grab your flag. Headed to Tribal Council (where you go to vote someone off of your tribe after losing an immunity challenge)? Grab your flag. Those around the flag have an identity, a shared purpose and mission. It's akin to our modern-day gangs. Which hankie are you wearing?

This isn't a new concept. Long ago, armies carried a flag/banner when headed into war, signifying to the enemy, "We're coming for you." Stuck into the ground, it served as a rallying site for tribe members to gather, regroup, and plan their next move.

In Exodus 17, the Israelites found themselves battling the Amelekites. Verses 15-16 read: "And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

Moses referred to the LORD as "Yahweh Nissi -- the LORD is my Banner." Moses knew the Israelites couldn't conquer the Amelekites in and of themselves; he knew they needed a higher power to be victorious. The Israelites may have had an actual flag, but that day, the LORD was their Banner. When Moses raised his hands heavenward toward their Banner, he was appealing to the God who'd brought them out of Egypt through the Sea of Reeds to fight for them and come to their rescue once again. Those on the side of this Banner -- those devoted to this mission -- came out victorious, while those identified by the opposing banner did not.  


The Banner of the Israelites went as far as to blot out any memory of the Amelekites. That's utter defeat.  Moses built an altar memorializing God's power and protection.  Wherever Israel went, other armies knew, "Those are the people who destroyed the Amelekites....Haven't seen them since. Those are the people with that Banner."

Because of Who You Are

We honor and praise people for their accomplishments.  A team wins the Super Bowl, and they get a parade in their honor.  Perform well on the job, and you'll get a raise or possibly a promotion.  Working in the Honors College, I am surrounded by high-ability students with some rather lofty accomplishments under their belts.  You can say a student's name and others in the room will say, "Oh, guess where she spent last semester abroad doing research!" or "Did you hear he's having to decide between four top medical schools?"  We speak of them with pride because they're "one of ours," and we esteem them for what they've done.

Character alone usually doesn't cut it for a person to receive praise.  We require fine character traits be put to use before we extend kudos.  Record a CD, win an award, win a competition, graduate with honors...whatever it is, you have to do something if you want recognition. Unfortunately, we also apply this type of thinking when it comes to praising our Creator.  All too often, He has to put something in to get something out of us.  More often than not, the impetus of our praise springs from His having done something for us -- kept us out of an accident, blessed us financially, healed an ailing friend/loved one, etc.  Throughout Scripture, we're reminded of God's promises to us (e.g., to give us rest, to supply all our need, to be our refuge and strength, to give us eternal life).  But is this our only reason for praise?

Repeatedly in the Old Testament, God had to remind the people of Israel, "I am the LORD."  One source says He told this to the Israelites more than 130 times!  He wanted the people to know Him.  Throughout Exodus, He works to establish a relationship with the people so that in knowing Him, they couldn't help but to praise Him.  For knowing Him leads to praising Him; it's a natural correlation.  And so it must be with us.  Our praise cannot be contingent upon what He's done for us, but we should praise Him just for who He is, who He's been to us, and who He's promised to be.

Lord, I praise You because of who You are

Not just for all the mighty things that You have done

Lord, I worship You because of who You are

You're all the reason that I need to voice my praise

Because of who You are

 (Billy Smiley, Bob Farrell) 

"I AM"

And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground" (Exodus 3:3-5).

When Moses encountered God while herding his sheep, it wasn't because he was looking for God. No, God tracked down him and had to put on quite a show with an inflamed, non-burning bush to get Moses' attention...to bring him to a place of worship. Sometimes, God has to do the same with us when school, work, family, obscure and drown out His voice and presence. 

Just because we're "Christians" doesn't mean we're always aware of/sensitive to God's presence. How many times have we looked back on a situation and said, "Wow. God was all in that." To "come into His presence" is not to say that He wasn't where you previously were and you've just now stepped into it. It's simply our coming to the realization that God is already here in our midst. Only then can we lend an ear to His voice and begin to worship Him. 

Just as He did with Moses, when you're least expecting it, God will show up in your day and call you to worship. Will you see it as an interruption to your oh-so-important schedule or an opportunity to encounter God in an unlikely place? Will you stop and say, "Here I am!" as Moses did? When He seeks out your attention, He wants to remind you that He is in your midst and that you are on holy ground. For where He is...it's holy. It's time to worship.

Who? Me??

Moses' encounter with God was on the back side of a desert with a flock of sheep.  How on earth did Moses wind up there from Pharaoh's palace? Because of his initial attempt to come to his people's aid, that's how. And now God was telling him to have another go at it?!

Moses offered several excuses for why he couldn't be the one to take on this task...Who am I? Who has my back? No one will believe me. I don't have the skill set.

Knowing how the story ends, we often chide Moses for his reluctance, but have we not had the same responses at some point in our Christian walk? God calls us to a task, commissions us to do a work, and our first question is, "Who? Me? No, surely not me." We follow that with, "Who would believe this? People will think I've lost it if I attempt this. I'm not even qualified."

Fact is, just like Moses, we have all we need to do that which God tasks us to do.  When Moses asked, "Who am I?" God didn't build up Moses' self-esteem or tell him he was anything special. What God pointed out was that He would be with Moses. Just like it wasn't about Moses, it's not about us. It's about who's with us, and He'll have our back every step of the way. 

"A lot of what God wants to do in your life won’t be done until you do what He has already revealed to you," writes Dr. T. Evans. If we'll do our part first and step out into what He's called us to do, He'll be on hand when we reach the Pharaoh's court and the Sea of Reeds characteristic to our own mission. If we'll do what we can do, God will do the big stuff.  Moses didn't have to fight an army or dry up an ocean. Moses used what God made available to him--a rod--and God took care of the rest.

The writer of Hebrews tells us how Moses had the strength to fulfill his mission...by faith. Will God find faith in you?

The God Who Sees Me

In the ancient world, it was common practice for a wife to offer her handmaiden to her husband for the purpose of providing an heir.  This was the situation in which Hagar found herself when Sarai elected to speed up God's will.  The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing.

Legally, Ishmael would have been considered Sarai's offspring.  Unfortunately, Hagar's attitude toward Sarai changed when she learned she'd conceived.  In return, Sarai treated her so poorly that Hagar fled.  In her despair in the midst of the desert, she encountered an angel of the Lord, who encouraged her with these words:

"Go back to your mistress, and submit to her.  I will so increase your descendants 

that they will be too numerous to count.  You are with child, and you will have a son.  

You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your misery."

So she [Hagar] called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 

"You are a God of seeing," for she said, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me."  

Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi ["well of the Living One who sees me"] 

(Genesis 16:9-11, 13-14)

In her response to the angel's initial questions ("Where have you come from? Where are you going?"), Hagar only answered the first; for she truly had nowhere to go -- out in the desert alone and with child.  In her despair and amidst this encounter, she had a revelation that El Roi ("The God Who Sees Me") was still watching over her AND her child, also that He was not unaware of her current state of affairs.  With this confirmation that El Roi was aware of her situation and that He had promised to bless her offspring, Hagar found the courage to return to her mistress.  I'm sure her demeanor must have changed on that walk back to camp.  Though she left with a bowed head, surely, she returned with an encouraged spirit...a secret, perhaps.  "Hagar, what are you smiling about?" another servant might have asked. Would they have understood? For they hadn't seen El Roi as Hagar had.  Despite anything to come (being cast out after Isaac's birth), she would always remember the guaranteed blessing and His ever-present watchful care. 

"Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine" (Ps. 33:18-19).