Short Term Memory

“And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7 NIV)

I have a horrible memory. I have trouble remembering the names of students that I have been around for 3 years. My wife on the other hand has a great memory. She can recall the name of every teacher that has ever taught her, where she sat in their classroom, and her favorite outfit of that year. I get sad at times with my lack of memory. I feel as if I have been cheated out of the youth I know that I had. My lack of committing things to memory gets me in trouble at times as well. I’ll forget to take care of a chore or I’ll ask the same question like 5 times before I finally annoy the person that I am asking and they ignore me for the next day or so. Having a poor memory isn’t specific to just me. I know this because here we have 600,000+ Israelites wandering the desert with the worst memory ever. After miraculously being delivered out of Egypt (the whole walking on land that is dry when water stood there moments before and then the water returning to drown the Egyptian army), having bitter water turned into drinkable water, being supplied food by the dew of the ground in the morning and quail at night, and through all of this being led by a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night (and they are always there, never leaving), the Israelites still complain that they are not comfortable and question whether God is with them. Despite all that has been done for them by God, and very recently I might add (same generation), they forget and wonder if they didn’t have it better as slaves in Egypt. But I love the Lord’s response to this. He hears their complaints and answers them. What a patient God we have. There have been a few people in my life that complain often. I’m not talking about the ones that have just fallen out of a tree and are crying, but the ones that always have a hurt finger or they are hungry, or they can’t find a matching sock. I imagine that the Israelites sounded a little like that. “I’m hungry, we at least had a kitchen in Egypt. I’m thirsty, all this traveling and no water. I’m tired of eating the same thing. Why can’t I keep this manna for more than a day? I traveled at the back of the group yesterday, it’s somebody else’s turn.” I usually respond to these people in one of two ways; I start to ignore them but pay attention enough for them to think that I care or I tell them to suck it up and stop listening. I think that God would have been justified to respond in one of these ways. If it were me I would have said, “Come on buttercup, suck it up. You see the pillars, right? I’ve provided food, right? I’ve quenched your thirst before, so what makes you think I won’t take care of it again? Now shut up and let’s move forward.” Good thing that He isn’t like me. Because there are times when He can say this to me, but He doesn’t. He just listens to my complaints and acts in a manner that is best for me and His plan. His love and patience is certainly something that I need committed to memory.

Of mules and men

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave.’ Moses had announced to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die.’” (Exodus 11:1,4-5 NLT)

Have you ever had a moment where you just knew you were right only to find out that you were wrong? During the time after you have first made the announcement that you are right and before it is proved that you are wrong, nothing and I mean nothing can be said to make you change your mind. Some might say that you were being as stubborn as a mule. When a mule gets in its mind what it wants to do, it can be quite difficult to get it to do anything else. Pharaoh very much had this same stubbornness. The first of the plagues were able to be “reproduced” by Pharaoh’s magicians, so he hardened his heart. Then, even the magicians could see that the plagues were from the finger of God, and encouraged Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but he still refused, hardening his heart even more. So God confirms the arrogant decision made by Pharaoh and He hardens Pharaoh’s heart completely. In the end, Pharaoh’s stubbornness became fatal and cost him not only his son, but the firstborn of all of Egypt. God gave him many chances to change his mind, but in his stubbornness, Pharaoh refused to follow God’s command. When we, like mules, decide what we want to do and fight against God’s command, then our stubbornness leads to disobedience. May our hearts never become so harden and may we never be so stubborn that we refuse to follow where our Lord is leading. After all, when we submit to Him, He can then lead us into some amazing and surprising seasons of our lives.

The light at the end of the tunnel

‘Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.’” (Exodus 5:22-23 ESV)

Upon arriving in Egypt and petitioning Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to go into the wilderness to worship God, nothing good has come to the Israelites. In fact, Pharaoh has made it even worse for them, and the people are beginning to turn against Moses and his brother. It was as if they were taken from the dark and pushed into even more darkness. I am reminded of an old proverb that states that “the night is always darkest just before the dawn.” I think this proverb holds true when it comes to God’s deliverance. Not that He makes things worse before He brings us through, but rather that by the time we realize that we are in the darkness, in a valley, He is already leading us through. I think of it like playing at sunset. There was a time growing up when I was required to be home at sunset. So I would be playing down the street and realize that it was getting darker, but I almost always figured that I could play for a few more minutes. As the evening drew near my eyes would adjust and the next thing I knew, it was dark outside and my dad is calling down the block for me to come home. We stay in the world and become adjusted to what’s going on around us, and it’s not until we are in darkness that we realize that we need God to get us out. One of my favorite songs by Jars of Clay is called “The Valley Song” and the chorus says, “I will sing of Your mercy that leads me through valleys of sorrow to rivers of joy.” I love it because it reminds me to rejoice in all circumstances because my Lord is with me and will always deliver me from the dark times to the greatness that He has in store. He is always the Light at the end of the tunnel.

When your “but” gets in the way.

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” (Exodus 3:11 ESV)

What is behind you when you are doing what you need to do and in front when you aren’t? A teacher of mine asked me this question once, right after I finished explaining why I didn’t have my work completed. I stood there puzzled because a) I didn’t understand if asking me a question meant that I was in the clear and b) I didn’t know the answer to the question. After watching me stand in a state of confusion for a while the teacher finally said, “Your but(t), now get it behind you and start working.” Some of our greatest excuses start with the word “but” and end with nonsense. “I was going to clean my room but I needed to first take a shower, in the middle of the day, for an hour and then dinner was ready.” “I was on my way to mow the lawn but I remembered the last time I mowed the lawn in shorts, my legs kept getting stung by thrown rocks so I looked for pants but couldn’t find any clean.”

Moses comes into God’s presence, is charged with the task of delivering God’s people (from which Moses was born, his family) from their slavery in Egypt and leading them into the promise land. He sees a bush on fire but not burning up, hears a voice from within the bush, recognizes the voice belongs to the LORD and the first things out of his mouth, according to The Message is “But, why me?” This is the same man, who in his youth, hastily killed to protect one of the same from a beating. Now when it came time to actually get along with the business of setting them free, out come the excuses. When it comes to doing God’s work, I think that I lot of us make excuses as well. “I’m not worthy of doing His work.” “I need to get my sins in check first.” “If I lived the way He wants me, I could lose social status, my job, friends, maybe even my life.” “I have a family and a life that needs support.” Some of the excuses over time actually start to sound legit. I mean who is going to fault someone for wanting to take care of their family or for wanting to keep their job? When you look between the lines, though, what we are really saying is, “I am not sure if I can trust You.” The fact of the matter is, if God is calling us to something, He is going to provide for us and help us along the journey. All of Moses’ doubts were met…he had Aaron to tag along for speaking engagements, the name of God was revealed to him, and he was given the power to perform miracles. The doubts that you may feel when God calls you into His radical service are all provided for as well. So step into His presence and begin the journey He has prepared for you.

I’m a slave…

“Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh.” (Genesis 47:19a NIV)

When the famine continued people from Egypt and Canaan gave all that they had in exchange for food and when it continued still they came back and gave their lives in exchange for food. Making themselves servants…for they would rather live as servants, than die. If only the effects of spiritual famine were as obvious! There are many people who walk around starving for the life that only God can provide, yet they don’t recognize their hunger or they choose to ignore it. But if one could feel and recognize the pain of hunger that comes from the famine of being separated from God, then I am sure that they would ask, “Why should I perish before Your eyes? Buy me in exchange for the spiritual food that I need, and I will be in bondage for you.” And for those who ask that question, God has an amazing answer. He has already purchased you! Through His Son’s death on the cross, He paid for you in full. May we be so desperate for the spiritual food that God has to offer that we daily submit our lives to Him and serve Him alone, understanding the cost at which God bought us back.

Restoration

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.’” (Genesis 45:4-5 NIV)

Have you ever done something so terrible that you would rather just avoid that person that face their judgment? I have a feeling that after thinking back to what they had done, Joseph’s brothers felt that way. Joseph had the power and position to treat his brothers the same as he was treated. He could have had them imprisoned, forced into slave labor, or worse. But upon seeing the change that had happened in Judah, Joseph instead takes a different route. He reveals himself and has his brothers bring his father and all of his relatives to Egypt so that they may survive through the drought. Joseph chose to restore the relationship between him and his family. At times it may seem like you have done something so terrible that a relationship cannot be repaired. Sometimes we feel that way with God. I have had many conversations where that exact sentiment is shared. But our God is a God of restoration. He chooses, just as Joseph chose, to see the good inside (the Holy Spirit), to see the change and restore the relationship between Himself and His children. He is desperate to draw us back into communion with Him!

Fate v. Faith

“When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, ‘This is how your slave treated me,’ he burned with anger. Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” (Genesis 39:19-23 NIV)

Joseph didn’t let his fate affect his faith! It would have been so easy for Joseph to feel as if he were abandoned. The way of his life was mostly determined by others. Having been sold into slavery at a young age, wrongly accused of attempted rape, and place in prison all by the age of 30. If this were me, I would ask what I did to deserve all of this and I think that my outlook on life and faith would be very negative. But not Joseph…whatever was brought his way, he stayed grounded in his faith to God, trusting for his protection and providence. King Solomon echos this lesson when he tells us in Proverbs to “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When we let our fate determine our faith we are declaring that our God is a small god, not willing or able to guide us through all things, both good and bad. A small god He is not! He is able to guide and in most case carry us through the times that seem the darkest so that we can again see His wonderful light.

The Wrestler

“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day has broken.’ But Jacob said, ’I will not let you go unless you bless me.’ And he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ Then he said, ’Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.’” (Genesis 32:24-28 ESV)

Growing up I loved watching the WWF, World Wrestling Federation. There were the good guys and the bad guys and the guys that won even though everyone rooted against them and the guys that seemed to always come up short. There were the superstars…Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Jake the Snake, The Undertaker and there were little guys that no one had heard of before and no one would ever hear of them again. It took some growing up and my dad telling me once or twice (maybe more) that it wasn’t real for me to realize, “Hey, this stuff isn’t real!” How could a man have his head slammed into “steel” steps, get thrown through a table, and have a chair broken over his head and the next week walk out and wrestle again with no injuries? Jacob found himself alone and engaged in a marathon wrestling match that lasted an entire night. It took the “man” who Jacob was wrestling to dislocate his hip before Jacob realized that this match wouldn’t end. Before Jacob released the “man” he asked him for a blessing. The blessing was given and Jacob’s name was changed from “deceiver” to “he strives with God” or Israel. This was a real wrestling match. Complete with lasting effects (Jacob’s new name and limp). Jacob could have continued to wrestle with God and it would never have ended. It took Jacob acknowledging that He needed God’s blessing before the struggle could end. We wrestle with God as well. There are things in our life that we try to hold on to and we fight and argue with God and try to justify these things. The wrestling continues until we finally acknowledge that He is all we need, His blessing, His forgiveness, His providence. Yes, God continues to hold on and stays engaged until we finally submit. And when we finally submit to God, the impact of our wrestling match is noticeable. For no one is the same after meeting/wrestling with God. Paul tells us that our old self is gone and our new self, who we are in Christ, is all that remains (2 Corinthians 5:17).  So then be forever changed by God as He wrestles to get the best that is in you.

Ladders and Lies

“And he [Jacob] dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.’” (Genesis 28:12-13 ESV)

We know that Jacob acquired Esau’s birthright and in his dream we see that God too has passed on the promise and blessing that  He gave to Abraham and Isaac. While this is the same promise, the same blessing, it is the first time that an allusion to the Messiah is made. Jacob saw a ladder the bridged the gap between Heaven and Earth. This allusion is used in the New Testament in just a little different manner. John 1:51 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” I have always loved Old Testament references to the Messiah! It humbles me to see these little glimpses of God’s plan so long before it ever came to fruition. To know that He knows what’s happened, happening and will happen, and has since the moment He spoke creation into existence speaks to how great He is.

On a completely different note, I think that it is interesting that the deceiver was deceived. Jacob, whose name literally means “he deceives,” seems to reap what he sowed. After being shrewd and acquiring his brothers birthright and then tricking his father and stealing the blessing that was meant for Esau, he is tricked by his father-in-law-to-be, Laban, and marries Laban’s oldest daughter Leah instead of Rachel, the one he wanted. Maybe this was God’s way of exposing a short-coming to Jacob. I was once told that the things that bother us about others and the things that we need to change in ourselves.

Salvation for stew

“And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom [Red].) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:30-34 ESV)

Growing up, my sister and I would make deals from time to time. “I’ll trade you my room for yours!” Of course I got the better deal because at the time she had the bigger closet and I had more toys, so it made sense. Jacob and Esau made a deal, that had a lot more impact that a whole Saturday spent moving possessions from one room to another. Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew. I would say that Jacob got the better deal. Esau traded away his future to satisfy his temporary hunger. What an Idiot! I wonder how hungry he had to be that he couldn’t wait to eat until he could prepare something himself. Or maybe Jacob was an amazing chef. Either way, Esau gave up his right to all that his father has in store for his future because of his appetite. The desire to satisfy the sensual appetite ruins many a man, not just Esau. When we allow our sinful desires to take over, we are just like Esau, trading our future glory for a temporary satisfaction. It is easy for me to see Esau as an idiot, but much harder for me to realize that more than once, I have done the same thing as he did, caved in for temporary satisfaction. Luckily, I have a God of many chances. A God who says, what I have waiting for you is so much more than anything you may desire right now. My prayer is that my desires may become his desires so that the “stew” looks and smells like junk compared to what He fills me with.