Keeping An Eye on His Hand

It has been awhile since I lasted published a post! The flu hit Ken hard, and got me a bit lighter; then we were gone for EMI Board of Director meetings in Minneapolis two days; and when I got home, that nasty little flu bug bit me big time! I am still recovering, still not at 100% strength, but am enjoying being alert enough to be back in God’s Word! 

This morning while others were in church, I read Exodus 1-9. And as usual, my reading leaves me with lots of questions!

1:16 – the Hebrew midwives are to kill the baby boys, but let the baby girls live. What was Pharoah thinking? I understand that he is afraid of the numbers of Hebrews that they might join with Egypt’s enemies, but where does he think his future slave labor will come from if he kills off all the males?

2:6 – how does Pharoah’s daughter not only get away with defying her dad’s order to cast the baby boy into the Nile (1:22), but why is she allowed to raise a Hebrew as her son?

2:15 – Pharoah’s second death penalty issued against Moses. Did Pharoah suddenly realize he hadn’t ‘educated the Hebrew out of Moses’ and is he afraid Moses might one day rule Egypt with a heart of compassion for the Hebrews?

3:11-4:17 – Moses has all kinds of arguments for God regarding why he shouldn’t be the one to go back to Egypt. I understand Moses’ fears in returning to Egypt, and I understand feelings of inadequacy for a job one doesn’t feel qualified for, but how does Moses miss all that God has been doing for him? Rescuing him from the Nile and a death decree; allowing Moses to be raised in Pharoah’s home – no one else was better qualified than someone raised in ‘the system’ who knew it, understood it, and who could go back and appeal to it.  

And on this note, I wonder how many times have I pulled “a Moses”. How many times have I argued with God that I am not the one qualified for what He is asking of me; that there must be someone else more eloquent, more gifted, more skilled for the job? How many times have I allowed fear and feelings of inadequacy or inferiority to blind me to the obvious Hand of God on my life preparing me for such a time as this?

And I wonder if Moses missed out on blessings (and have I, too?) by insisting God send someone else (Ex 4:13-17).

As a result of our time in the book of Job, I have started keeping a Praise journal. The last post of Job (from one of my friend’s) really made me realize how ‘unnatural’ praise/gratitude is in my life. It is hard work for me to live with an attitude of gratitude – and it shouldn’t be! So I have determined to change that by recording praises throughout the day. I don’t want to get caught in focusing on the negatives in life or on fears or failures. I don’t want to miss seeing God’s Hand in my life, nor the many blessings He so graciously bestows. I am hoping that by changing my focus I will realize that when God gives me a Kingdom Assignment, I am the most qualified for the job and He has my back.

If you aren’t already journaling praises and things to be grateful for, why not start today?

How have you seen God's hand on your life? How have you seen Him prepare you for an assignment that only you were qualified for?