As I walked along the beach, I noticed a mother moving at the pace of someone with somewhere to be. About five feet behind her, her husband strolled along without a care in the world. Ten yards behind them was a little girl, perhaps eight years old. Her arms were crossed, her lips were puckered into a pout, and her head was down as she begrudgingly followed her parents.
I had to chuckle and wonder: Is that how we sometimes follow God? We go along with Him, but we’re not always happy about the path.
We may not understand or appreciate where God is leading us in this moment, but He is at work in us and preparing us for something great.
In Exodus 3, Moses was amazed and curious when he saw the burning bush God had placed before him. At times, God may also surprise us with divine appointments. I pray that as you follow Christ, you’ll keep your eyes open, grow more curious about who He is and His ways. As you draw closer to Him, may you hear Him calling your name, as He called Moses in verse 4: “Moses! Moses!” And may your answer be like Moses’, “Here I am!”
BUT here’s where Moses began to resemble that little girl on the beach: he was hesitant, even as he followed. We often hear about “BUT GOD” moments in Scripture—moments when God steps in with His power and grace. In Exodus 3 and 4, we also see several “BUT MOSES” moments.
God called Moses to obey, BUT MOSES had questions and objections:
BUT MOSES protested to God, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11
BUT MOSES protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” Exodus 3:13
BUT MOSES protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” Exodus 4:1
BUT MOSES pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Exodus 4:10
But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” Exodus 4:13
With each “But Moses” moment, GOD ANSWERED him.
The little girl’s attitude on the beach may look familiar to us. We may protest, hesitate, or plead with God to choose someone else. BUT keep walking with Him. Follow Jesus, one step at a time. He has a purpose for your life, and even when you feel inadequate, remember: in Christ, you have what you need to take the next step.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
Featured photo: Y’all, do you see the faint rainbow in the distance? For a brief few minutes, I could see each color on the spectrum. So beautiful! Just like God to reminded you of His promises when we walk with Him.