Back in the mid 1990’s, my wife and I fell victim to a smooth-talking timeshare salesman while staying at a brand-new resort in Myrtle Beach. At the time, it seemed like such a great investment for us. We had two kids, we loved spending our summers there, and the beach was literally a five-minute walk away. The unit was luxurious with all the bells and whistles, totally awesome. By the end of the salesman’s 1-hour spiel, we couldn’t wait to fork over $2500 and take on what essentially amounted to another mortgage. Worst. Decision. Ever. But we signed the papers and agreed to the terms. We were stuck with it. (Thankfully we were able to sell it back to the company four years ago!)
What about you? Have you ever made a commitment to something that you ended up regretting later on?
Moses was someone who wasn’t fond of commitments. When God called him to lead His people out of Egypt, he gave God a laundry list of excuses as to why he wasn’t the man for the job. “I’m not worthy to talk to Pharaoh. And I’m a horrible speaker.” “You want me to lead these people? I can’t even get my father-in-law’s sheep to follow me. Besides, you know how hardheaded these Israelites are. They’ll never listen to me. So please, send someone else.”
But he begrudgingly accepted God’s call. Could Moses comprehend the magnitude of the journey before him when he agreed? Is it possible that he could he envision the Egyptian army ready to go to war at Pharaoh’s command? Could he see God parting the Red Sea through his own hand? Could he anticipate the song of victory, the water from the rock, the manna from heaven? What about the vision of God on Mount Sinai and the voice from heaven, or the tablets of stone and the golden calf?
Could he picture the tabernacle being built, the priests being consecrated, the spies sent to Canaan, the response of unbelief, and a 38-year sentence to wander the wilderness? Could he imagine climbing Mount Pisgah’s summit where he would gaze upon the Promised Land before his passing? Or what about the honor of someday sitting beside the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration?
Had Moses known ahead of time of the impact he would have on his people, who knows… perhaps his initial response to God’s calling might’ve been different. But he didn’t know what lied ahead. He saw an impossible task. And for Moses himself, it was impossible. But I love Dr. David Jeremiah’s commentary: “God essentially said to Moses, I do not want to help you do this through Me; I want to do it through you.” In other words, “I’m sending you, but I AM the One who will deliver them.”
That same human nature of not completely trusting God that Moses had exists in us also. “God, if this is what you want me to do, give me a sign before I commit to it.” How many of us have prayed that prayer? At some point or another, all of us.
Commitment before Confirmation
As if God speaking to him through a burning bush wasn’t enough, God even went a step further to confirm to Moses that this was what He wanted him to do: Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well” (Exodus 4:18).
Jethro’s blessing was part of God’s confirmation. But before Moses could get Jethro’s blessing, he had to first say “yes” to going to Egypt. What you and I tend to want is just the reverse. We want God’s confirmation, then we will think about committing… that’s our first error. Isaiah 30:21 says, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” God wants us to trust Him.
Obedience before New Instruction
At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision) Exodus 4:24-26.
In agreement with God’s will, new guidance is granted once we’ve obediently followed His previous instructions. The Lord was adamant about circumcision according to the covenant, even to the point of threatening Moses’ life. If God were to communicate similarly to us, He might say, “As you faithfully follow the light I’ve provided, I will reveal more.” If we lack divine guidance, it’s usually because we’ve neglected the instructions already present in His Word.
Routine Requirements Come before Greater Responsibility
If we can’t be faithful in the day-to-day things, how can God trust us with greater responsibilities? Not only was Jethro Moses’ father-in-law, Moses also worked for him. So before he left for Egypt, he cleared his decision with his boss. Moses’ example reminds us that serving God doesn’t automatically mean we should neglect our employer.
Employers aside, there’s also the more urgent matter of taking good care of our families. “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). God will never command us to do anything contrary to His written Word.
Even when we’re entrusted with significant responsibilities aligned with God’s plan, it’s crucial not to overlook routine obligations. Moses, in his pursuit of freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, may have underestimated the importance of his son’s circumcision – a fundamental tenet of the Abrahamic covenant. Though seemingly mundane compared to the huge task at hand, both routines and responsibilities hold great significant in God’s perspective.
By wholeheartedly trusting and obeying God in the little things, He will remove doubt and confusion, giving us confidence as we pursue His will for our lives.
Former Blackout Artist 