How do you take seven months of rich study, four books of the Bible and one extraordinary life and sum it all up into a few succinct sentences that adequately describe their significance to this day to day journey called life? It is always a challenge to reflect upon my Bible Study Fellowship year and write about it. But without this time of reflection, it is possible that I could miss out on an opportunity in the near (or distant) future to remember God’s faithfulness at such a time as this.
For me, I think the Life of Moses study was best put into focus when I was asked which aspects of Moses’ leadership will help me to serve God and His people more effectively? What stands out more than all else (and there is plenty else) is the fact that Moses understood God. Although it is impossible to know everything there is to know about God, it seems that Moses got God. He understood the truth of Isaiah 55:9 that God’s ways are higher than our ways, His plan is higher than our plans. Not only did he understand it but he trusted it. It allowed him to swallow the disappointment of not leading the people into the promised land and instead proclaim the name of God up to his death.
It is important to note that just like all of us, it was a process for Moses. How soon I forget the days of Moses pleading with God, “please send someone else” and needing a burning bush to be convinced he was purposed for more. But from that day on, Moses enjoyed a relationship with God that is unknown by any other Biblical figure. Scripture says of him that the Lord knew him “face to face”.
Oh to know God face to face. I would say that pretty much sums up my deepest longing. To effectively serve and lead my family, it comes back to intimacy with Him. To effectively serve my friends, community and church family, it comes back to intimacy with Him. To effectively serve and lead a non-profit ministry, it comes back to intimacy with Him. To understand that His ways are higher than my ways, it comes back to intimacy with Him. To swallow the disappointments and hardships of life and be more because of them, it comes back to intimacy with Him. To march up to death proclaiming and worshipping the name of God, it comes back to intimacy with Him.
What are you learning these days? I would love to hear it.