Anguish (part 2)
Exodus 3:11
But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
I’ve always told my sister that she was Aaron and I was Moses. I’m not good with words. I don’t have a speach impediment, but I don’t think quickly on my feet. My fear is that if I talk to Jim he’ll say something and I won’t be able to respond. Who am I to go and talk to this man? I’m still working through this fear. I know God will tell me what to say when the time comes, but it hard to believe that will all my heart.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with out demonstration oif the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Another reason I feel like Moses is I think God has sent me to Byron Bay to help Jim out of Egypt. His Egypt isn’t a physical place. It’s his dry, hurting, joyless life. I don’t know these things as a fact, but I can see it. I feel like he’s been hurt in the past by someone and he puts up walls so he can’t be hurt again. He drowns his pain in alcohol or other things so he’s numb. I feel like he doesn’t love himself or the life he lives. If you don’t love yourself how an you love others?
A story of a little missionary lady comes to mind when I think of witnessing to Jim. This little lady helped out in the infirmary in a prison. She built relationships with the men and they grew to respect her even the ones who weren’t Christians. One day, a riot broke out and people were being killed. God gave this little missionary the courage to go out in the middle of it all and tell the prisoners to stop. She didn’t go out in her strength, but the power of God and the riot ended.
Another true story comes to mind. I read it a few nights before I arrived to Australia. It’s the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Again, another small person up against something that was impossible to overcome without God.
Samuel 17:12-50 (Please read)
I picture myself as David, small and young, but with God on my side whom shall I fear? I see Goliath as the evil in this world, our struggles that hinder us from delving into God, failures, discouragement…But we’re warriors for Christ and we should fight for the lost even if we’re fighting the lost themselves so that they will find freedom. It’s kind of like watching someone who can’t swim jump in the deep end. You can either help them or let them drown. We should love them so much that we put our own pride away even if they slader us. We should love them because Jesus loves them and He calls us to. If God thinks their important enough to die for them why don’t we feel that same love for them?
Matthew 5:44-48 (Jesus speaking)
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more tahtn others? Do nmot even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
David was a shepherd and when lions took his sheep he went after the lost. I want to be like David and go after the lost without fear. I want to stand against evil and fight for them. David only took a sling and 5 stones to fight Goliath because he knew God would be sufficient and would equip him with what he needed for battle. In the same way, God will prepare us for battle with our words. David didn’t go up against Goliath with his own strength and power, but in the name of Jesus. David said the Lord will hand Goliath over. The whole world will know there is a God in Israel. The same applies now, after all He’s the same God now that he was in David’s lifetime, people will know there is a God because of what we do and say.
