When God revealed his plan to Moses, that he would deliver the Isrealites through him, Moses immediately began to come up with reasons as to why he couldn't do this. Moses asked God, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me.." Then God put Moses through a series of faith building exercises - the leporous hand, the staff into a snake. God told Moses how everything would pan out up to Pharoah letting the Isrealites go, he gave him his brother Aaron to speak for him in front of Pharoah, and he gave him the power to perform miracles in His name - staff to snake, and nile water to blood. Yet Moses was still fearful, he did not want to go to Egypt. (Ex 4:13) Of course Moses went to Egypt in the end, and God used him to deliver the Isrealites and they all lived happily, or not so happily, in the dessert for many many more years...
However, my question is, why was Moses so stubborn? He knew much more of God's plan than almost anybody ever knows today. God even gave him assurance of victory, and yet it was so hard for him to trust in Him. I've been thinking about this, and maybe this is why God doesn't reveal his whole plan to us at once. Even Moses, God's chosen, doubted God with the whole plan drawn out before him, so would knowing God's plan really make it easier for us to follow it? We always say it would be so much easier if we just knew what God's plan was... but would it really? It was still really hard for Moses.
(I commented on Samantha's)
You really have a point here. I am constantly asking God for even the slightest hints, but at the same time it probably wouldn't make a difference in my amount of trust. I would continue to do my thing because it's just natural for me to assume I know best when deep down I know that I don't.
ReplyDeleteBUT, perhaps it simply boils down to being overwhelmed either way. In not knowing, we are overwhelmed and consumed by the mystery and uncertainty in our knowledge of God's plans, so we constantly question Him. Yet, Moses knew. Maybe it overwhelmed him to the point that he constantly had to step back and say, "Really, God? Are you sure? I mean...whoa!" It's the kind of mindset we have when we encounter something that blows our minds.
I really like this Callie. It seems like sometimes it does take a miracle before we can believe something. We throw up a ton of excuses for why we can't do something. Then when God proves us wrong, we want proof. This is so funny because this is the same kind of thing the pastor at Dauphin Way talked about tonight. He was talking about prayer and how we have a warped view of it. We approach God as Santa Claus and pray as though we're reading Him our wish list. That's off subject, but he said we often times tell God "if You loved me then you'd..." And we do this all the time. I know I have. To me that's the same kind of thing as needing proof or a sign or whatever you want to call it.
ReplyDeleteI really like your post. What you got out of the reading, I never thought about. So many times, I have prayed and wished that the Lord would just show me His plans, yet I've also heard people say, "Thank goodness He doesn't show us His plans." That phrase has always bothered me. Perhaps because it suggest there are things you wouldn't want to see. That's a hard pill to swallow. Life is not always the greatest. Honestly, I don't like that. When hard things happen, I wonder why. But at the same time, I can look back and see the work God did in my life, during hard times. Now to tie all of these statements into your post. I think if we did see what God had planned we would not see it in the right context, we wouldn't understand it before it happened as when we see His will after it happens. Oh, sometimes I think it would be so much easier to see His will, like a map before me, but thank goodness I can't. I think God has the best in mind for us when He doesn't reveal the whole picture to us, even when we ask.
ReplyDelete