My Moses Moment

God has important lessons to teach us every day.  These lessons can be presented to us in various ways:  from what we observe or read about, through personal experience, and from the past mistakes of others.  Moses was a servant and friend of God, but his disobedience to God in one instance prevented him entry into the Promised Land.  We are grateful for the second chances God gives as our Redeemer (for we cannot redeem ourselves), but the event detailed in Numbers 20 shows there are times when the consequences of sin can be permanent.  Praise the LORD He still loved and utilised Moses as leader amongst His people despite his error.  At the same time, however, God provided a lesson for Moses and for all who observe it to take to heart.

I have my own "Moses moment" of sorts, and the situation couldn't have been more different.  I had been given no command from God, no particular directive that day as I stepped upon the mound to pitch in the baseball grand final in Castle Hill.  It was a hard-fought game and a very sloppy one for a championship match.  Every error in the field meant more strain on my tired body and painful shoulder.  I gritted my teeth and toughed it out on the hill.  We had won three grand finals as a team and the coach trusted me to pitch the entire game.  When the umpire finally shouted "Time and game!" to conclude the contest, we had won.  I don't even remember the score.  Beyond the gladness of winning I felt a wave of relief mixed with intense frustration.  I felt like the whole team was riding on my shoulders and I was glad to have the stress over with.

From the moment it happened, I instantly and continually regretted what followed.  I was fired up after a taxing win and the adrenaline was flowing, but that was no excuse.  Instead of turning to embrace my teammates in celebration or dropping to a knee to thank God, I shouted, stamped toward the dugout, and threw my glove as hard as I could into the fence.  I don't know anyone really noticed this or cared.  We had won!  But I had the immediate sense God had seen it, and it was displeasing to Him.  I had not given God the glory for the victory, even as Moses did not give God glory for the miracle of causing water to flow from the rock.  Though I played baseball for an additional three seasons, I never returned to the "promised land" of a grand final match.  The next season started promising but in the fifth game I tore my ACL and had nearly two years off.  When I returned from injury my vision had deteriorated, and over the course of the next years I separated my shoulder, sprained my ankle, snapped something in my pitching elbow, and I was done.  How good God was to allow me to compete into my forties and even to be a part of a winning team!  I am grateful for such a gracious heavenly Father.

I don't know that anything can prevent us from experiencing a "Moses moment," a time when we regrettably sin against the LORD in doing what displeases Him.  Perhaps you can learn from the lasting consequences Moses faced when he disobeyed God or by my experience playing baseball.  It is good for us to realise sin has consequences, and sometimes permanent ones.  A permanent consequence is a lesson provided by God's grace because it is like a personal tutor who travels with us to instruct us during our remaining years of our earthly pilgrimage.  Moses had a constant reminder - not just that he had sinned - but his sin denied him further favour from God.  I am certain this revelation kept him from future sin and continued to work in his life to humble him.  How mindful he was to cease doing what displeased God!  How he laboured to sanctify God in the present and future because he had been careless in the past.  I'm still learning the lesson from my "Moses moment" and praise the LORD He still has much He wants to say to me - and to you! :)

Jesus is Exalted

Last night at the Calvary Chapel Sydney prayer meeting we sang the Twila Paris song "He is Exalted."  I have always enjoyed the melody and the lyrics resonate in my heart:

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

I will praise Him

He is exalted, forever exalted

And I will praise His name

He is the Lord

Forever His truth shall reign

Heaven and earth

Rejoice in His holy name

He is exalted

The King is exalted on high

During the time of prayer it was fitting a thread running through many of the spoken prayers was that Jesus be lifted up.  It is fitting God's people should exalt, magnify, and seek to make famous our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Whilst it is good for us to intentionally do this, we do not need to put undue emphasis on our role to the point it becomes an effort of the flesh.  When with our eyes we do not see people doing what we think should be done, the flesh rises up with a protest (perhaps because we too have been negligent):  "I will take it upon myself.  I will be the example.  I'll show all these lazy and sleepy Christians what it really means to live for Jesus."  This perspective is as dangerous as the careless believer whose life says, "Who cares?  If God wants to do something He'll do it with or without me.  I'm going to heaven anyway so why bother?"  The flesh cannot accomplish the works of God,  and before long our resolve will quickly erode away into disillusionment.  Firing up the flesh or coddling it is not the path to exalting our LORD.  Words or songs alone aren't enough:  we need the power of the Holy Spirit overflowing through our lives.

The Bible teaches what the song of Twila Paris joyfully exclaims:  Jesus is exalted.  God has already exalted His Son, having lifted Him up on Calvary as the Saviour of sinners.  John 3:14-16 says, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  After the death and resurrection of Jesus then ascended to the right hand of the Father where He lives to make intercession for all who believe.  In His humble obedience to the Father Jesus has been exalted over all as it is written in Philippians 2:9-11:  "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Jesus was and is exalted, so therefore let us exalt Him!  God's future plans to not rely upon us any more than we caused ourselves to be born.  When we were born again by grace through faith in Jesus we needed to cooperate and be in agreement with God through repentance, and this is the humble agreement we must cultivate so Jesus Christ may be exalted in our hearts and lives first.  Revival begins with me, and if you desire revival it begins in you.  Jesus has been lifted up and has drawn all people to Himself, and let us do our part to lift Him up as well.  Praise the LORD our exalted King will help us, and nothing is too hard for Him.

The Dirty Trough Choice

As a person in charge of building maintenance at a church, Proverbs 14:4 is a verse I take to heart.  It reads, "Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox."  If you were a farmer, would you rather have a clean trough or the assistance of a strong animal in work?  A dirty trough may be a good trade.  In a church building it is good to strive to keep toilets clean, surfaces wiped, carpet vacuumed, and chairs aligned, but it is frankly impossible when many people are involved.  I would rather have damaged paint and stains on the carpet - because there are people enjoying serving and in fellowship with one another - than to have an clean facility free from the wear and tear of life.

Today a friend told me about a sister-in-law she had who kept her kitchen in an immaculate condition, and she was able to do so easily because she never cooked!  I like the thought of never having to clean a BBQ, oven, and especially a flat electric cook-top, but the reality is with any use these items will need regular cleaning.  Looking through old photos the other day I noticed how clean and shiny my BBQ once was on the inside, and it has been a very long time since then!  When I think of all the wonderful meals which I have enjoyed cooking and eating through its use, however, I do not regret losing the initial stainless steel shine.

The ox and dirty trough trade can be compared to the potential messiness of church life.  When we chose to follow Jesus and seek to serve Him, we can be involved in many potentially uncomfortable and unpleasant situations.  Jesus did not shy away from people some would have termed "undesirable," "unlovable." or "hopeless" - and some were men He chose to call as His disciples to follow Him!  My grandfather worked as a carpet layer for many years and and after a while chose not to have an apprentice or helper.  He said, "What's the point?  I'll have to always fix his mistakes."  We can have this view for developing leaders in church, almost preferring a clean trough because oxen require training, patience, and are expensive to feed.  It seems easier to do things on our own.  This is true in a sense, but an ox is a valuable asset which allows a farmer to be far more productive.

I am grateful God has chosen us as followers of Jesus to serve Him - though oxen might be easier and cleaner to manage!  We are the ones whose stubbornness can put that of an ox to shame.  He really loves us, doesn't He?

The One Who Succours

Much is made of Esther's uninvited approach of King Ahasuerus and for good reason.  Under the law of the Medes and Persians which could not be changed, all who approached the king without an invitation were sentenced to death - unless the king held out the golden sceptre towards the one who approached as a signal of his favour.  Queen Esther had not been called before the king for 30 days, yet after three days of prayer and fasting she drew near to the king to plead for her people.  She found favour in the sight of the king and her life was preserved because the king delighted in her.

Did you know Esther did not only approach the king once but did so a second time?  After Haman's treachery was exposed, Esther again appeared before the king uninvited.  Esther 8:3-6 states, "Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴ And the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, ⁵ and said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favour in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king's provinces. ⁶ For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?"  The first time Esther approached the king she did so after three days of prayer and fasting, but the second time there is no mention of a period of prayerful preparation.  Her life was at stake the second time she came, but the situation was approached differently.  Gone was the formal and stately demeanour:  she fell at his the feet of the king weeping.  I do not believe she trusted God any less, but having received the favour of the king previously she was emboldened to do so a second time.

The king extending the golden sceptre to Queen Esther is a beautiful picture of how God extends grace and kindness to all people who draw near to Him in faith.  Our sin under the Law demanded death, but Jesus our LORD and Saviour shed His blood so we could be forgiven through repentance and trust in Him.  He does not offer us grace at the beginning and withdraw it on a whim, for His love remains active for us.  God will never forget to be gracious, but it is we who can neglect to draw near to Him.  It is good for us to have a sense of trepidation as we approach divine royalty, yet at the same time we can be bold like Esther the second time because He has given us access into His throne room of grace.  The truth of Hebrews 4:16 never grows old for me:  "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

God is gracious and will help those who humbly seek Him.  A word we do not often use today but is most appropriate for our need to seek the LORD is "succour" which can be used as a verb or a noun.  As a verb it means "literally, to run to, or run to support; hence, to help or relieve when in difficulty, want or distress; to assist and deliver from suffering."  Utilised as a noun "succour" means, "help; assistance; particularly, assistance that relieves and delivers from difficulty, want or distress."  When we succour God's favour, He is able to succour all who come to Him.  Our God is a Deliverer, One willing and able to help in times of trouble.  Instead of trying to help ourselves, let us seek the LORD for succour.  When we run to God for help, He runs to help us.