Our Father, With Us

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


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

Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’? ”
The Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand? ”
“A staff,” he replied.

“Throw it on the ground,” he said. So Moses threw it on the ground, it became a snake, and he ran from it. The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. (Exodus 4:1-4)

Wait, grab the snake by the tail? Did you notice that Moses had just run from the snake? Yet the Lord commands him to grab what scares him, and by the tail nonetheless. And Moses does. And he starts to see that God is not only the God of miracles and wonders, but also the God who protects and keeps His word. The training has begun.

How about this one,

In addition the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, resembling snow. “Put your hand back inside your cloak,” he said. So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it had again become like the rest of his skin. (Exodus 4:6-7)

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

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

I know a woman at my church who has seen God show his faithfulness in the little things. Specifically, available parking spaces. We may gawk at such a thing, but she found the Lord to be faithful in answering a simple prayer to provide a parking spot for her near the store. It became a thing for her - a special thing between her and her Lord. Lord, please provide a spot for me near the store. Do you have that? Have you experienced those “inside” moments with the Lord; those treasured encounters that are special between you and Him? It may be something simple, but it is important. It’s foundational to know that He is your Father and that He treats you as a son, as a daughter. He calls you. He trains you. He goes with you. Will you embrace Him today?


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