by David Scott Robertson
"Then Moses went back home and talked it over with Jethro, his father-in-law. 'With your permission,' Moses said, 'I would like to go back to Egypt to visit my family. I don't even know whether they are still alive'" (Exodus 4:18).
This is one of the most amazing verses I have found in the Old Testament concerning the value of being sent out by those in authority over you.
In Exodus chapter three, we read the story of how Moses had a close encounter of the God-kind. This is the famous "burning bush" passage. The Great God Jehovah called and commissioned Moses to go and be His representative before Pharaoh to deliver the nation of Israel from over four centuries of Egyptian bondage.
In Exodus chapter 4, we read about how God then empowered Moses to perform a series of miracles to convince both the Jewish and Egyptian officials that God had indeed sent him.
But even though Moses had a supernatural experience with God, please notice something both peculiar and important. Undeniably, Moses had had an incredible meeting with God:
- He witnessed the miracle of the burning bush (3:3)
- He audibly heard the voice of God (3:4)
- He had stood on holy ground (3:5)
- God had revealed Himself and His covenant name (3:6)
- He became privy to God's secret plan to rescue His people (3:7)
- He received a mandate directly from God Himself (3:10)
- He had received God's personal guarantee of His presence and assured victory (3:12)
- He received details about the plagues and plunder of the Egyptians (3:30-21)
- He personally participated in not one, but two actual miracles (the rod becoming a snake and his hand becoming leprous) (4:1-7)
- God predicted the reunion of Moses with his long-lost brother, Aaron (4:14)
Wow! When is the last time you have heard from God so clearly? When is the last time you have received authorization from God to liberate a nation?
I could go on, but my real point that I've been building up to is my opening text:
"Then Moses went back home and talked it over with Jethro, his father-in-law. 'With your permission..." (Exodus 4:18, New Living Translation).
It amazes me that even though Moses had experienced God like no other before him, He didn't immediately go and begin to fulfill God's mission. No, first he went and talked it over with his father-in-law, Jethro! Next (now get this!) he actually asked permission to go! The King James Version of the Bible translates this request as "Let me go, I pray thee…." The New International Version reads, "Let me go back to my people…." The words may differ slightly but the point remains the same - Moses asked his father-in-law to let him go do what God had called him to do!
What's up with that? Does that not fly in the face of much of our cultural Christianity that says "God told me…" and so off they go just like that to begin the task! Many workers in the local church "drop everything they're doing" (or rather everything they've committed to do) without so much as asking their pastor for his blessing. As a result, many are "abandoning their posts" prematurely. Often zealous but immature Christians bring reproach upon the very name that is calling them to greatness by doing things in the wrong order. They inadvertently tarnish genuine "words from the Lord" by believing that if God told them something then who cares what anybody else thinks?
You see, I believe God uses leaders to help younger believers get the timing right. The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. If Jethro had told Moses, "Now Moses, I agree that you have heard God, but as your employer, before you go, I need you to bring my flocks and herds that you have been watching these past four decades to market to sell next month like we agreed." You will never convince me otherwise that God would not honor that!
Indeed you may be called to do an exploit for God but rarely (if ever) will God require you to break your word or fail to fulfill to do something you have committed (covenanted) to do. You may be in week 3 of a 12-week class that you volunteered to teach and the thing that honors God is for you to complete the assignment.
Listen, sometimes God gives you the "heads up" on something coming down the road as a courtesy so you can prepare yourself for His next assignment. He may tell you things in advance so you can bring closure to your current commitments, spend time getting prayed up, get counsel and advice from those more seasoned than you, obtain the blessing of those in authority over you, and get sent out properly with much celebration!
Notice that God didn't rebuke Moses for going to Jethro to talk things over. God didn't threaten to kill Moses for asking permission to quit his job and secure a blessing from the man under whose authority Moses had prospered for nearly forty years. Conversely, God rewards those who honor those in authority over them and seek to be sent out with a blessing on their new adventure!
Notice the very next verse how God validated Moses after he consulted with Jethro:
"Before Moses left Midian, the Lord said to him, 'Do not be afraid to return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead" (4:19).
God speaks again! Moses lived nearly his whole life up to that point without seeing miracles and hearing God's voice, now it's getting to be a habit!
Why is this concept of obtaining permission, securing a blessing, and being sent out by those in authority over you important? Watch what happens in Moses' life later regarding Jethro.
Since Moses left on good terms with Jethro and no bridges were burned on the way out the door, God was able to use this former authority in Moses' life to be a great blessing to him in the future.
In later years, when Moses was responsible to sit as judge over millions of people, Jethro came for a visit and watched Moses literally wear himself (and the people) out from morning till evening (Exodus 18:13) trying to solve the community's problems.
Jethro pointed out: "…What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him" (Exodus 18:17-19).
Jethro went on to suggest to Moses an efficient and effective judicial system that would be so successful in providing speedier justice that much of the infrastructure of his concept remains intact to this day!
This one suggestion transformed Moses' life and lifted a burden too great for any one man to bear! And note that the idea didn't come directly from God rather God sent this breakthrough idea through the mouth of Jethro!
However you must recall that it all started when Moses was "sent out with a blessing" by Jethro. This one act set the stage so that years later God could use a man with whom Moses had a healthy relationship to be a continual fountain of blessing to him.
The point? Truly, God may be speaking to you and calling you to another place, another ministry, another church, another assignment. But if you will follow his example of taking your revelation to your pastor if you are in a church or your employer if you are in a business or your coach if you are on a team (or to whomever God has placed you in authority under) and talk things over, and either fulfill your commitments or get permission and blessing to be released from them, God will honor you for it! You will never be penalized for keeping your word and honoring authority.
In the years ahead, you can happily do God's will with no regrets, no burned bridges, and no relationships to repair. Consider, for your own good and for the good of those who will follow you, the value of being sent out.
DSR
8/28/05
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Monday, August 22, 2005
The Little Things
by David Scott Robertson
A while back my family and I decided we needed to get away and spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains.
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, are two neighboring townships that are home to multiple dinner theaters, getaway cabins, helicopter rides, bungee jumping, miniature golf, go-carts, museums, malls, water parks, antique outlets, fine dining and a hundred other activities designed to satiate even the most adventuresome tourist.
Sevier County Tennessee is one of the hottest spots in the mid-South to connect with thousands of ways to spend your money and do something or see something out of the ordinary.
It didn't take long in the Smokies before I made an interesting discovery about myself. I discovered that it was the "little things" that really made the trip worthwhile for me.
My wife, daughter, and I went to the "Country Bear Jamboree" and enjoyed a marvelous dinner and show for $34.95 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also enjoyed eating turkey sandwiches and potato salad and cookies from Kroger in the motel room watching Animal Planet.
My wife, daughter, and I went to Dolly Parton's "Dixie Stampede" wild-west dinner show for $35.99 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also enjoyed going to the movie theater in Pigeon Forge to catch the world premier of Episode III of Star Wars for a fraction of the cost.
My wife, daughter, and I went to the "Comedy Barn" and enjoyed a hilarious evening of good, clean jokes, skits, and music that they presented for $19.95 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also had a blast popping some microwave popcorn and eating snacks out of the vending machines at the motel and piling up in bed together watching re-runs of M*A*S*H and "Full House."
My wife, daughter, and I went to Dollywood and had an awesome day of music and rides and shows for $43.50 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also had a memory-making time in the pool together playing "Marco Polo."
From the experience, I've come to a not too surprising conclusion. For me, it doesn't take much to have a good time. It doesn't take a lot of money, a lot of glitz and glamorous costumes and animatronics to make a super-duper memory.
Nope. For me, it's not necessarily where I'm at or what I'm doing or how much it costs that counts...it's who I'm with.
I love being with family and close friends doing whatever. At the end of the day, at the end of vacation, yes, even at the end of life, we'll probably discover that it was the "little things" that brought us the most enjoyment and lasting satisfaction.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the little things that enhance our quality of life.
Thank you for taste buds.
Thank you for ripe bananas.
Thank you for ice cream.
Thank you for the thrill of throwing rocks in the pond with our kids.
Thanks for bedtime stories.
Thanks for the family piling up in the bed to watch a funny movie with all the dogs and cats curled up asleep around us.
Thank you that every day, every single day, you arrange lots of little things to cross paths with us that add value to who we are.
And thank you, Lord, for the good sense you give us to discern the simple pleasures of life.
DSR
8/22/05
A while back my family and I decided we needed to get away and spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains.
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, are two neighboring townships that are home to multiple dinner theaters, getaway cabins, helicopter rides, bungee jumping, miniature golf, go-carts, museums, malls, water parks, antique outlets, fine dining and a hundred other activities designed to satiate even the most adventuresome tourist.
Sevier County Tennessee is one of the hottest spots in the mid-South to connect with thousands of ways to spend your money and do something or see something out of the ordinary.
It didn't take long in the Smokies before I made an interesting discovery about myself. I discovered that it was the "little things" that really made the trip worthwhile for me.
My wife, daughter, and I went to the "Country Bear Jamboree" and enjoyed a marvelous dinner and show for $34.95 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also enjoyed eating turkey sandwiches and potato salad and cookies from Kroger in the motel room watching Animal Planet.
My wife, daughter, and I went to Dolly Parton's "Dixie Stampede" wild-west dinner show for $35.99 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also enjoyed going to the movie theater in Pigeon Forge to catch the world premier of Episode III of Star Wars for a fraction of the cost.
My wife, daughter, and I went to the "Comedy Barn" and enjoyed a hilarious evening of good, clean jokes, skits, and music that they presented for $19.95 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also had a blast popping some microwave popcorn and eating snacks out of the vending machines at the motel and piling up in bed together watching re-runs of M*A*S*H and "Full House."
My wife, daughter, and I went to Dollywood and had an awesome day of music and rides and shows for $43.50 (+ tax) apiece. But you know what? We also had a memory-making time in the pool together playing "Marco Polo."
From the experience, I've come to a not too surprising conclusion. For me, it doesn't take much to have a good time. It doesn't take a lot of money, a lot of glitz and glamorous costumes and animatronics to make a super-duper memory.
Nope. For me, it's not necessarily where I'm at or what I'm doing or how much it costs that counts...it's who I'm with.
I love being with family and close friends doing whatever. At the end of the day, at the end of vacation, yes, even at the end of life, we'll probably discover that it was the "little things" that brought us the most enjoyment and lasting satisfaction.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the little things that enhance our quality of life.
Thank you for taste buds.
Thank you for ripe bananas.
Thank you for ice cream.
Thank you for the thrill of throwing rocks in the pond with our kids.
Thanks for bedtime stories.
Thanks for the family piling up in the bed to watch a funny movie with all the dogs and cats curled up asleep around us.
Thank you that every day, every single day, you arrange lots of little things to cross paths with us that add value to who we are.
And thank you, Lord, for the good sense you give us to discern the simple pleasures of life.
DSR
8/22/05
Sunday, August 14, 2005
To Obey is Better
by David Scott Robertson
"But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" (1 Sam 15:22).
* * *
Obedience is a good thing. It works well for kids who obey their parents, employees who obey their employers and citizens who obey their government's laws. In fact all who humbly submit to those God has placed in authority over them will benefit from their obedient attitude.
Obedience brings reward. Obedience can save your life. Obedience, over time, will result in promotion in nearly every instance.
Nowhere is obedience more vital than in the Christian life.
God has a thing about obedience. Time and again we see examples in the Scriptures where obedience brings the miraculous. More often than not, irrational and ridiculous commands from God designed to build or test faith in order to bring about miracles hinged on an individual's simple obedience:
- Jesus told ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priests. They were healed when they obeyed (Luke 17:14).
.
- Jesus told a blind man to go wash mud off his eyes in a pool of water. He was healed when he obeyed (John 9:7).
The prophet Elijah told a widow woman to take her last meal and give it to the prophet. She obeyed and God sustained her through a famine with oil and flour that didn't cease until the famine did (1 Kings 17:13).
- The prophet Elisha told a widow to borrow empty pots from her neighbors and God would fill them with oil to sell to rescue her sons from slavery. She obeyed and she struck oil (so to speak), enough to sell and pay a huge debt (2 Kings 3-5).
- God told Joshua to have his men walk around the city of Jericho seven times and shout. They did and the walls came tumbling down (Hebrews 11:30).
- God told Noah to build an ark to save his family from certain death. He did and they survived the flood (Genesis 6).
These are but a few of billions of examples of how God has honored obedience and converted submission and compliance into miracles.
Many times people adopt an attitude that says, "I won't obey a leader unless I first agree with him or her." This is where we can get into trouble. God always honors obedience and never rewards disobedience. The only exception is when a leader asks you to do something that violates God's rules.
One of the reasons that I firmly believe that King David was referred to in Scripture as "a man after [God's] own heart"(1 Samuel 13:14) was not just that he loved to worship God. Perhaps more important was David's profound understanding of the concept of obedience to authority. David refused to "touch the Lord's anointed" (1 Samuel 24: 12-13) and disrespect authority, namely King Saul.
Obedience is powerful! Partial obedience is disobedience! Delayed obedience is disobedience! If we want to experience the fullness of all that God has for our lives we must become obedient sons and daughters of God.
It seems Mary, the mother of Jesus, was really on to something when she said to the servants at the wedding of Cana in Galilee: "do whatever he [Jesus] tells you" (John 2:5).
Sounds good to me.
"If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…" (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
DSR
8/14/05
"But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams'" (1 Sam 15:22).
* * *
Obedience is a good thing. It works well for kids who obey their parents, employees who obey their employers and citizens who obey their government's laws. In fact all who humbly submit to those God has placed in authority over them will benefit from their obedient attitude.
Obedience brings reward. Obedience can save your life. Obedience, over time, will result in promotion in nearly every instance.
Nowhere is obedience more vital than in the Christian life.
God has a thing about obedience. Time and again we see examples in the Scriptures where obedience brings the miraculous. More often than not, irrational and ridiculous commands from God designed to build or test faith in order to bring about miracles hinged on an individual's simple obedience:
- Jesus told ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priests. They were healed when they obeyed (Luke 17:14).
.
- Jesus told a blind man to go wash mud off his eyes in a pool of water. He was healed when he obeyed (John 9:7).
The prophet Elijah told a widow woman to take her last meal and give it to the prophet. She obeyed and God sustained her through a famine with oil and flour that didn't cease until the famine did (1 Kings 17:13).
- The prophet Elisha told a widow to borrow empty pots from her neighbors and God would fill them with oil to sell to rescue her sons from slavery. She obeyed and she struck oil (so to speak), enough to sell and pay a huge debt (2 Kings 3-5).
- God told Joshua to have his men walk around the city of Jericho seven times and shout. They did and the walls came tumbling down (Hebrews 11:30).
- God told Noah to build an ark to save his family from certain death. He did and they survived the flood (Genesis 6).
These are but a few of billions of examples of how God has honored obedience and converted submission and compliance into miracles.
Many times people adopt an attitude that says, "I won't obey a leader unless I first agree with him or her." This is where we can get into trouble. God always honors obedience and never rewards disobedience. The only exception is when a leader asks you to do something that violates God's rules.
One of the reasons that I firmly believe that King David was referred to in Scripture as "a man after [God's] own heart"(1 Samuel 13:14) was not just that he loved to worship God. Perhaps more important was David's profound understanding of the concept of obedience to authority. David refused to "touch the Lord's anointed" (1 Samuel 24: 12-13) and disrespect authority, namely King Saul.
Obedience is powerful! Partial obedience is disobedience! Delayed obedience is disobedience! If we want to experience the fullness of all that God has for our lives we must become obedient sons and daughters of God.
It seems Mary, the mother of Jesus, was really on to something when she said to the servants at the wedding of Cana in Galilee: "do whatever he [Jesus] tells you" (John 2:5).
Sounds good to me.
"If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God…" (Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
DSR
8/14/05
Monday, August 8, 2005
God's Musician
by David Scott Robertson
Quietly, without any fanfare, God's musician makes her way to her instrument of worship.
Sliding onto the creaking wooden bench, her hands, having made the trip innumerable times, quickly retrace the familiar path to the beginning chord of another expression of praise unto God.
With perfect timing, God's musician begins to perform her ceremonial duty with fervor and zeal, accuracy and skill, heart and soul.
Ten fingers, two hands, one heart, united in synchronized harmony worshipping with every keystroke; offering up an undefiled melody as fragrant incense before God.
Playing to no audience, God's musician focuses intently on the Master Conductor who orchestrates the sacrifice of praise resonating from an inanimate object through a yielded human vessel.
As the musical sacrifice goes forth, discerning members of the congregation signify their agreement with God's musician with uplifted hands and tightly closed eyes…lost in the spirit of worship of the object of their worship…Jesus Christ.
The music stops, but the worship echoes on in sweet refrains. God's musician, quietly, without any fanfare, slips back to her seat; moved, satisfied, humbled.
DSR
8/8/05
Quietly, without any fanfare, God's musician makes her way to her instrument of worship.
Sliding onto the creaking wooden bench, her hands, having made the trip innumerable times, quickly retrace the familiar path to the beginning chord of another expression of praise unto God.
With perfect timing, God's musician begins to perform her ceremonial duty with fervor and zeal, accuracy and skill, heart and soul.
Ten fingers, two hands, one heart, united in synchronized harmony worshipping with every keystroke; offering up an undefiled melody as fragrant incense before God.
Playing to no audience, God's musician focuses intently on the Master Conductor who orchestrates the sacrifice of praise resonating from an inanimate object through a yielded human vessel.
As the musical sacrifice goes forth, discerning members of the congregation signify their agreement with God's musician with uplifted hands and tightly closed eyes…lost in the spirit of worship of the object of their worship…Jesus Christ.
The music stops, but the worship echoes on in sweet refrains. God's musician, quietly, without any fanfare, slips back to her seat; moved, satisfied, humbled.
DSR
8/8/05
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