Sometimes God calls you to carry a message that makes way for misunderstanding. That’s where I sat last night. I received a long text filled with “shoulds” from someone who doesn’t have the whole picture of a situation in my family.
To be honest, I want to do the thing the text said I “should”, but I can’t. I’ve actually begged God to let me take action & in no uncertain terms, He’s communicated a hard & steadfast “No.”
It has to do with one of my sons. I want to come to the rescue. I begged God to LET me rescue. Not only did He clearly communicate “No”, He removed the means to do so to ensure I clearly understand I’m not called to become a counterfeit providence of God in my son’s life.
I don’t want to follow God in this…it feels unfair.
I bet Moses felt that way. He begs God with 5 buts to not make him God’s messenger - to the point of invoking God’s anger!😳
When he finally follows & exhorts Pharaoh to, “Let my people go”, the results aren’t quite what Moses expects.
Pharaoh increases the Hebrews workload by making them find their own straw to make bricks while still having to meet the same quota.
The Hebrew foremen, whipped for not meeting quota, confronts Moses & his brother Aaron saying:
“May the Lord judge & punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh & his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!“
If you jump into tomorrow’s reading, you discover that Moses returns to the Lord to protest once again.
Following God is especially hard when our flesh doesn’t agree & common sense says to do opposite.
Sometimes the Lord calls us to carry a message that may lead to misunderstanding. We aren’t called to explain the why, but to simply follow His lead & trust Him with the outcome.
It may make us look bad, it may cause others to share concern (& this is good because they care, but maybe without all the info?) & sometimes, like with Moses, it can cause the very people you’re called to save, to suffer a little longer. That feels awful.🥲
Father, comfort our hearts in moments of misunderstanding. We draw near to You knowing that following You will always lead to life, even when feelings say otherwise.
EXODUS 4:1-5:21
MATTHEW 18:1-20
PSALM 22:19-31
PROVERBS 5:15-21
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