God's Timing and All That

So we find Moses back in Egypt, telling Pharaoh to let the Israelite people go. Instead, Pharaoh makes their job even harder, and the people then complain to Moses. Moses does the natural thing in this small corporation...he passes the buck and runs the complaint up the line.

Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, "O, Lord, why have you done evil to the 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."

God probably chose Moses for this task in part because of his boldness; I mean, come on, "why have you done evil to the peope?" and "you have not delivered your people at all." This won't be the last time Moses says what's on his mind to God.

Interestingly, it is the Israelite's impatience, lack of faith and grumbling that will drive Moses bonkers in the desert. Perhaps this is like when parents say, "I hope you have a child who does these same things to you!"

Where in your life have you been saying to God, "And you haven't ________________ at all?"

Joy Complete

I watched a sunset with my best friend
rode the lift for the last run in the Rockies
sailed above the desert in a hot air balloon

I made the last shot to beat our rival
was embraced and kissed by the cheerleaders' captain
mobbed and lifted up by screaming fans

I gazed into the eyes of my life's love and said "I do"
held my son for the first time and gave him his name
bestowed the most honest blessing on my daughter at her confirmation

I was given a potted bulb, trampled and dry
provided water, nutrients and support as she began to grow
watched her blossom into beauty, victory, love...

That Sneaky Little Moses

Back from too long away...been a busy few weeks.

I've made my way to Exodus and came across this little tidbit about Moses, in the Egyptian poser part of his life. He comes across an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and then we read -

"He (Moses) looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand."

I"m not a rocket scientist, but if you have to "look this way and that" before you do something, and then you have to hide what you did, it's a pretty good chance whatever it is you did isn't a really grand idea.

So this morning, Feeties, I'm thinking about my life and asking, "What are the things I do that require looking left and right before I do them?" God, give me grace and power to overcome the desire to do such things, and the attitudes that lead to those desires.

A Review of "For These Tough Times" by Max Lucado

I have high respect for Max Lucado, and I sincerely believe he is a very intelligent, accomplished writer. But I must be honest and say that I’ve found his Bible Study books to come off as a sort of "Bible According to Max." I’ve also been left wanting from several of his devotional books which seemed to me to be hastily thrown together or overly pithy.

This devotional is the best of Lucado’s work that I’ve read. The first several chapters and the final two are quite good; inspiring and personal without sappiness. However, the fourth chapter, entitled “Good Triumphant” is highly troublesome (particularly for an Arminian!) Lucado tells us that Satan is an instrument in God’s hand, and that all the evil done to us by Satan is simply God doing it to us by this particular tool. So, my dear friend who was sexually abused by her father when she was 10 gets to know that God was quite involved in all of it. Sorry…not the character of God I see.

Lucado is trying to tell us that God works good IN everything when Romans says he works good OUT of everything. Satan is his own tool, but his authority and the pain/suffering he inflicts never goes beyond what God can redeem. Max, buddy, there really is a difference between “cause” and “allow,” but you are using the terms synonymously!

For that reason, I cannot recommend this book to those for whom it is written – those who are dealing with “unspeakable tragedies.”

The One Thing

Went to church last night and in the sermon, the preacher quoted an old hymn that speaks to putting Jesus as the priority of life:

"His glorious light shines brightest when the light of self is dim."

This reminds me of John the Baptist saying "He must increase, I must decrease."

Happy New Year, footies - that's your nickname if you read this blog, I'm sorry to say.