Just Call Me Moses (again...)

Usually when I am up at 4:00 in the morning it is God trying to tell me something. This particular morning, I am replaying a conversation in my head - well a few conversations actually, but all along the same line. It is what I am calling "the Moses complex". Most of us have it, have had it, or will have it at some point in our lives. I know I have. 


I am leading a Bible study on the book of Exodus. This week we are studying about Moses meeting God at the burning bush and God calling Moses to go to Egypt to rescue the Israelites and take them in to the Promiseland (Exodus 3-4). Cool! Moses gets to see God's manifest presence and call Him by name - "I Am". He is taken from his menial job as a shepherd tending smelly sheep to be the hero of a nation in slavery. Huge calling, to say the least. And then the "Moses complex" kicks in. He begins to ask questions. 


Who am I that you would send me?
Who are you God?
You actually think I am qualified? -I don't talk so good.
What if they dont' listen to me?


God is actually pretty patient with Moses, answering all of his questions. Doing what He could to calm his fears and insecurities. God told Moses that he would not be alone. God would be with him. God enabled Moses to do miracles to prove His mighty power to the Egyptians. For Pete's sake, Moses was getting his marching orders from a bush on fire that was not being consumed. One would think he would accept the call and get on it. 


But still Moses questioned. It was this last one that got God a little angry. Moses asked "Could you please send someone else?" Somehow, my brain paints a picture of a bit of thunder and lightening entering the picture or at least a flare up of the flames in the bush. That is how it looks when God is mad, right? lol 


Anyway, the point is Moses was so stuck in his insecurity with who he was and the limitations that he had, he totally couldn't move past that to see who God is and that He has no limitations. If God calls you to something, He and He alone will enable you to do it. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!!!


In God's infinite wisdom, He sent Moses' brother Aaron with him to get the job done. But I have to wonder if Moses didn't miss some of the blessing he would have gotten had he just moved past his "complex" and accepted the call. Sad...


Enter my "Moses Complex" - (it's not my first one btw)


I am involved in a wonderful ministry called Christ Fellowship Online (shameless plug -  you should go check it out!) Anyway, this ministry - more than any I have ever worked in, has the potential to reach people for Christ in such a powerful way. Being Internet based, it is literally only bound by the confines of the world wide web, so in other words - not much can stop it. While extremely exciting, this is also very scary to me. Have you ever watched a bull rider sitting on top of the beast of an animal in the gates while it snorts and jolts just waiting to be released? The power felt beneath the rider and the anxiety (or sheer terror, harnessed of course) of what is to come welling up from within... Yeah - that's a bit how I feel. I see God opening the gate and I am literally bracing myself for the ride. 


As I was doing my Bible study for this week I realized that I am Moses. I have so many questions.  I look to much at the limitations I have and forget to focus on the God that called me to this Who has no limitations. It's not about what I can do, because on my own, I will create and epic fail every time. But God never fails, and if He has ordained something - it WILL happen. The question is will He have to call someone else because I was to stubborn and self centered to jump in, limitations and all, and trust Him to do the rest?


It seems, in talking with people this week, that the "Moses complex" is a bit of an epidemic. People, God is in the business of using the sin ridden, flaw filled, stubborn, resistant human beings that He created to do His work here on the Earth. He says in His Word that He will not return until the "last one" has heard about Him. So the way I look at it, if we ever want Jesus to come back, we'd better get over ourselves and get busy doing the work we have been called to and equipped for by the same power that turned sticks to snakes, water to blood, clean hands leprous and back again and the same power that conquered death and hell for ever. Now that's some power! 


Am I still a little freaked out by the possibilities of what I may be getting myself in to? Yes! But am I willing to miss the blessings God has for me when I join Him in His work? No Way!!!!


So, what is it that is causing your "Moses complex"? Remember, it's not about you, it's about Who called you to it!



Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Funny Thing about Love...

Sometimes I work tech for weddings that we have at the church. I love weddings. It brings me great joy to see people pledging their love to each other. It also makes me think of my own husband and how blessed I am that God saw fit to knit us together almost 24 years ago. (I love you babe!)


As the couple stood in front of the Pastor hearing him admonish them with words from the Bible, these three words stuck in my mind - "Love never fails." Three little words from 1 Corinthians 13 that seem so fitting at a wedding. Love never fails...


As wonderful as the vows they wrote so lovingly and purposefully for each other were, my mind wandered to all of the pain and heartache that I see in people regarding love. People hurting each other in all sorts of ways. A high rate of divorce even in Christian homes. That sounds like "love failing" to me. 


As I pondered these three little words that held so much power I realized something - there was a lot written about love that precedes those three little words in that chapter. I will share it with you here:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 
Love never fails. 


Such powerful words written here. Patient. Kind. Honoring. Forgives. Not proud. Preferring others. Trusts. Hopes. Preserves. 


I felt the Lord say to me that the only way Love can "never fail" is if all the things that precede that statement are upheld. We so often forget the things that go in to really loving each other with the kind of love that won't fail. The kind of love that God intended. I think this applies not only to romantic love but also the love we have for each other as human beings.


I know I am not perfect and will not ever totally get it right in this life time, but I hope and pray that God will bring verses 4-7 to my mind every time the love I display (or should display) verges on failing. I pray that I can be a good example of this kind of love to my family and my friends and those that God puts in my path. I pray that it can be said of me that my love for others "never failed" more often than not. Can I get an Amen!?!

The Eye of the Hurricane

Have you ever felt like you were in a place in your life that you are moving ever forward and over the horizon there is something looming but you are not quite sure what it is? That is where I have been for the last little bit in my life. I walk a steady pace (which really would be considered running to most) and have this feeling... A feeling that I can't quite put in to words that will exactly capture it. Excitement, trepidation, anxiety, wonder, fear. 

I actually saw a picture last week that came out of Hurricane Irene. When I saw this, I was overwhelmed with it's beauty and power, but also the fear that one must feel standing in the face of this powerful storm that just keeps coming and you are powerless to stop. After staring at the photo for quite some time, I realize that this picture encapsulates how I am feeling right now. The same emotions flooding my mind at the worst of moments. The knowledge that there is something big and ominous looming on the horizon that just keeps moving and I am powerless to stop.


I have been pondering this over the last coupe of days. Asking God to give me a clear picture of what this is that will shortly be swirling around me. Alas, I am not hearing a very clear answer. Instead, what I was told by a very wise man is that "I need to learn to stand in the eye of the hurricane." The more I let that comment soak in to my spirit, the more I heard God begin to speak. 

You see, the eye of the hurricane is the only calm spot in the storm. The place that there is no noise, only beauty and peace. I feel him calling me to this place of rest and peace in Him, no matter how much is swirling around me. Calling me to the only place where I will still be able to hear His voice. I know that if He is calling me to that place, He is able to drop me right there in the midst of it and as long as I am faithful to move with it - it is in the eye I will remain.


I believe that God allows us all to have times like these in our lives. Depending on how you look at it - you might say it is your life as a whole. The things of this world swirling about you. Some good, some bad and yet both with such force that they threaten to over take you. Will you join me in the eye of the hurricane? Or are you content to stand in the thick of it where it is so loud you can no longer hear His voice of direction for your life.


So today, with new resolve and perspective I choose to stand in the eye of whatever it is that God has next for me in my life. I will walk with Him as we move forward, holding His hand and hearing His voice. Bring it on!

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  Psalm 46:10