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The day Moses stood before the burning bush, God gave him a promise. He promised that after Moses had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he would return to that very same mountain to worship God. God didn’t tell Moses all that he was going to encounter along the way, and that is often true for us as well.
A number of months passed between the day God gave the promise as recorded in Exodus 3, and the day Moses and the people arrived back at the mountain in Exodus 19.(1) During those intervening months, Moses suffered rejection from his wife when the journey first began.(2) He suffered ridicule from the Egyptians when he delivered God’s message.(3) He suffered rebellion from the Israelites almost every step of the way.(4) As a matter of fact, he was subjected to more grumbling, complaining and death threats than anyone before or since has been forced to endure. And God never mentioned any of those details when He gave Moses His promise. God never said, “After you have endured being the object of rejection, ridicule and rebellion, you will return here and worship Me.” God, however, did say, “After you’ve completed the assignment I’ve given you, you will return here and worship Me.”
God didn’t tell Moses all that he was going to encounter along the way. God knew Moses’ frame; and He knew that if Moses knew everything that was going to unfold, Moses would never step out on the journey. He would have determined to stay right there at the burning bush. I mean, “God, if You’re going to bring me right back here to worship You, let’s just skip all the difficult stuff in the middle. Let’s just go right to the good stuff at the end of the journey.”
Or, if Moses had known all that he was going to encounter before he set out on the journey, he would have been plotting, planning and contriving how to overcome each of those obstacles on his own. For example, if Moses had known the Egyptian army was going to attack at the Red Sea, he could have led the Israelites another way – through the land of the Philistines.(5) Or if Moses had known that there would be no water at Rephidim,(6) he could have had the Israelites bring extra provisions of water before they left the sweet springs of Elim. There are many things that Moses could have done differently if God had let him know what was going to unfold. But God chose not to do so! And instead of going around the Red Sea, they went through the Red Sea. Instead of carrying sweet water, they tasted the sweet water that gushed out of the rock. Instead of Moses being commended for his wisdom and foresight, God moved in the miraculous way that only He can move – and He alone got the glory.
The key truth we must grasp here is that though God seldom reveals ahead of time all of the challenges we will encounter as we journey toward the fulfillment of His promise, His promise always assures us that He will lead us through each one of those challenges. God’s promise always assures us that He will lead us through every circumstance we encounter to accomplish His purpose and fulfill His promise. His promise assures us that we will not lack for the provision needed to fulfill His promise. Yes, we may encounter rejection, ridicule and rebellion along the way. We will most certainly encounter obstacles and circumstances that are beyond our ability to overcome. We will more than likely find ourselves in situations that will cause us to look back and second-guess some of our decisions. But learn from Moses. If God has permitted you to encounter obstacles, circumstances or situations in the midst of your journey to His promise, trust that He desires to use them to magnify His Name – to accomplish what only He can! God is jealous for His glory. He will not share it with anyone or anything else. And He desires – as a matter of fact, He has set you on this journey – so that His Name might be further glorified. Heed His promise and commit the challenges and surprising details to Him!
And one more thing – remember that the Moses who returned to the mountain to worship God was not the same Moses who had stood before the burning bush. Throughout those months of rejection, ridicule and rebellion, there was no one else for Moses to turn to other than his Lord. As a result, Moses experienced an intimacy – a closeness – that could only come through the trials.
Just like Moses, it is the experiences we encounter in the valleys that prepare us for worship on the mountain. Don’t misunderstand me – we are to worship our Lord in the valley as well. We are to worship Him throughout the entire journey, because He is worthy of our worship. But I believe that it is while we are in the valley that we come to better understand why He is worthy of our worship. We come to better understand Who He is. It is in the valley that we come to the end of ourselves – to the end of our own abilities and our own resources. It is there we come to know Him more and love Him more. Then, when we arrive at the mountain, just as He has promised, we arrive with hearts that are fully-prepared to experience Him … to worship Him … and to receive all that He intends to now reveal to us on the mountain.
Remember the promise that God gave you before you embarked on your current journey. Hold onto His promise and trust Him to fulfill it. Then when you arrive at the mountain He has promised you, you will be fully prepared to experience, receive and give back to Him all that He intends … and all that He deserves.
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i’ve adapted this post from The Journey Begins, chapter 29, entitled “God, You Left Out A Few Details.”This first book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.
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(1) Exodus 3:12; 19:1-3 (NLT)
Then God told him, "I will be with you. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain."
…The Israelites arrived in the wilderness of Sinai exactly two months after they left Egypt. After breaking camp at Rephidim, they came to the base of Mount Sinai and set up camp there. Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God.
(2) Exodus 4:25
(3) Exodus 5:4-5
(4) Exodus 5:21
(5) Exodus 13:17
(6) Exodus 17:2
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