God's Way and Time

 Exodus 17-18                    Proverbs 4          Acts 8

As Moses leads the people through the wilderness toward the promised land they once again begin to complain when the run into difficulty, can’t see beyond it and attack Moses. Moses appeals to the Lord and is told to strike the rock and when he does the water pours out to meet the people’s needs.

Israel is attacked and Moses sends Joshua to lead the army of Israel in their defense. As Moses oversees the battle there is this brief story of him holding up his staff, that has become a symbol of power to the people, and the army prevails but falters when he lowers his staff. Aaron and Hur first make it easier for him and then physically support him and it then that the army prevails over their enemy.

As they begin to move Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, comes brining Moses his family and then observes what Moses is doing. Moses is trying to oversee all the decisions of leadership among the many people who are his responsibility. Don’t miss it is this outside observer, Jethro, that sees the problem that Moses is so close to he can’t see any other way. The wisdom of Moses shows up when he listens to Jethro and begins to appoint others to manage the day-to-day decisions in the camp. We must see that there are qualifications to be in these positions and the main one is integrity. The result is that the camp runs better, and Moses is a more effective leader.

Proverbs 4 is an interesting challenge from Solomon to listen to what he is teaching about what he has learned about wisdom. The first advice is to acquire wisdom by acquiring understanding. As you do that you continue to seek knowledge and more understanding that leads to more wisdom. Follow the path of those that seek righteousness, God’s way, and turn from evil.

There comes a time when we decide if we are going to follow the truth and wisdom or the way of the wicked. The call is to put away deceit and devious speech from our way of life. Let us look for the way of the Lord to lead us and we are called not to turn to the right or the left but follow the ways of the Lord.

Acts chapter 8 is one of the most interesting chapters in the Bible for me. It opens with Saul/Paul being in hearty agreement with putting a Christian to death. That day a great persecution begins in Jerusalem and the followers of Jesus with a few exceptions, the apostles, flee for their lives. The result is the gospel, the story of Jesus, is spread far and wide. Lives begin to be changed and more and more begin the journey of discipleship.

In the midst of that we see those that still make poor choices try to use their old methods, get angry when their way of life is threatened. There is a basic lack of understanding of what following Jesus means and the power that come with that when it is the result of faith, not money or work. Any other track will lead to bitterness and bondage to iniquity.

Once again, the scene shifts to another disciple on a faithful journey encountering someone that is seeking truth and a relationship with God. This encounter leads to a decision, led by the Spirit of God, to transformation. That disciple simply disappears in the story as the one whose life is transforms goes on his way praising God. The disciple finds himself at the next stop on the ministry journey.

Each of the reading today remind me that God is at work, even if I can’t see it, and that there is a reason for the things that happen to those that love the Lord. In each case there is the balance between keeping the process of learning going while practicing the faith we are developing. God’s ways are not our ways and God’s timing is not our timing but when we put our trust in him, we are blessed.