Does God need our help? ∙

Does God need our help? ∙

I said to the LORD, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” – Psalms 16:2

Job 22:2-3

 2 Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?

 3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?

“Cars 2,” a 2011 American animated film, was created by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. This movie is the sequel to the 2006 computer-animated sports comedy, “Cars.” It raked in $562 million globally at the box office, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 2011.

The film beautifully captures the imagination and actions of children when they play, with sounds like vroom-vroom, boom, screech, crash, and so on. In this story, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater are pit buddies racing in the World Grand Prix across Japan, Italy, and other European countries.

However, due to Mater’s mistake, Lightning McQueen loses a big race. When McQueen returns to his pit, he is furious with Mater. Mater is very apologetic. Mater wants to help McQueen make it right. McQueen rejects his help, exclaiming, “I don’t need your help! I don’t want your help!”

Is that the way that the Father thinks about us? Contrary to McQueen’s reaction, God never rejects our attempts to aid Him. Yet, it begs the question:  Do we believe we can assist God? Do we think our plans are superior to His? Do we genuinely believe that the all-knowing, eternal God makes mistakes?

Take Job’s story, for instance.

Job’s friend Eliphaz accuses him of indulging in sinful, self-righteous pride. For Eliphaz, the only logical reason for Job’s suffering is his alleged sinful behavior. Eliphaz rebukes Job, stating, “Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you? No, it’s because of your wickedness! There’s no limit to your sins” (Job 22:4-5).

Based on his assumptions, Eliphaz randomly selects sins to accuse Job of committing. It highlights how easy it is to jump to totally false conclusions when we start with inaccurate assumptions.

However, God sets the record straight. He affirms Job’s character.

Job 1:8 “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man on the earth. He is blameless – a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Does Job believe that his righteousness benefits God in any way or needs his help? Eliphaz accuses Job of such beliefs.

In Job 22:2-3, Eliphaz asks,

 2 Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?

 3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous?

Recall that at this point in the story. Job has no idea why terrible things are occurring. He hasn’t read the first chapter of his book yet, which provides a backstory explaining the reasons behind his trials.

Satan challenges the Father God. He asserts that people are loyal and devoted to Him only because the Father treats them so well. Satan suggests that if God were to stop His blessings, people would abandon Him.

Job 1:11 But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!

It wasn’t Job’s sin that set these events in motion. It was a false accusation of Satan. The Father knew the fiber of His servant Job. The Father was confident that Job could withstand and overcome anything Satan might throw at him within the limits God had set. The book of Job ultimately serves to vindicate Job’s character and demonstrate God’s unwavering faith and trust in him.

REFLECT & PRAY

Many people have an unfortunate, warped view of God. Rather than seeing the Father as a gentle, caring protector and shepherd, they see Him as a harsh, vindictive, villainous tormentor. So sad!

Father, thank You for being neither petty nor vindictive. Thank You for taking pleasure in those who walk with You.

INSIGHT

Eliphaz has a warped understanding of the Father God. He does not conceive of Him as being kind, gracious, and tenderhearted. Instead, his concept of God is one of a severe, rigid, and punitive judge. He believes that God is constantly on the lookout for errant human beings to judge and punish. “These verses reveal Eliphaz’s very deficient concept of God. To him, God did not delight in fellowship with man or in blessing man. His only reason for intervening in life was to punish people when they misbehaved” (Constable).

Job 22:3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?

Eliphaz asks pointed, rhetorical questions, the answer to which is none.

The Hebrew term translated as pleasure, advantage, delight, or special benefit is chephets. Chephets connotes a strong emotional connection. The basic meaning is to feel great favor, happiness, joy, or delight with someone or something. The Hebrew term translated gain or profit is betsa’. Betsa’ means to receive personal advantage from something or someone.

Eliphaz postulates that no one can aid or benefit God through their actions. His perception of God is distant, indifferent, and impersonal. He believes God is apathetic towards people, their tribulations, and their righteousness.

It’s not hard to imagine Eliphaz scoffing as he delivers his scathing sarcasm. Perhaps snarling a bit, he questions Job, “Do you genuinely believe that God inflicts calamity on innocent, righteous individuals? Spare me!”

Job 22:4 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?

His logic appears transparent and uncomplicated. As Wiersbe puts it, “Courts don’t try people for their righteousness but for their lawlessness! Therefore, God has sent terrible judgments upon Job, so he must be guilty of sin.” However, Eliphaz’s reasoning is entirely misguided, stemming from a flawed premise.

While it’s true that God doesn’t need people, He takes immense pleasure in them. God enjoys people.

Zephaniah 3:17 He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

The Father gets so excited about the children of the King that He takes great delight and celebrates with joyful singing. Visualize the Father excitedly loving on you.

The opening chapters of the Book of Job provide insight and understanding. Recall that God was so taken with Job’s character and integrity that He was confident Job would prevail over the adversities about to befall him.

“Job’s character and conduct were important to God, for God was using Job to silence the devil. Neither Job nor his three friends knew God’s hidden plan, but Job had faith to believe that God was achieving some purpose in his life and would one day vindicate him. Furthermore, the character and behavior of God’s people are important to the Lord because His people bring Him either joy or sorrow (1 Thessalonians 4:1; Hebrews 11:5; Genesis 6:5-6). He is not a passive, distant God who does not identify with His people but the God who delights in them as they delight in Him (Psalms 18:19; Hebrews 4:14-16)” (Wiersbe).

The omnipotent God doesn’t need assistance from His children. However, we do bring Him immense joy. Shouldn’t we aspire to emulate the example set by Lord Jesus Christ?

John 8:29 For I always do what pleases Him.

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© Dr. H 2024

The Father’s Good Hands ∙

The Father’s Good Hands ∙

We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. – Proverbs 16:9

2 Kings 8:1-6

 1 Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the LORD has called for a famine on Israel that will last for Seven years.”

 2 So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

 3 After the famine ended, she returned from the land of the Philistines, and she went to see the king about getting back her house and land.

 4 As she came in, the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had just said, “Tell me some stories about the great things Elisha has done.”

 5 And Gehazi was telling the king about the time Elisha had brought a boy back to life. At that very moment, the mother of the boy walked in to make her appeal to the king about her house and land. “Look, my lord the king!” Gehazi exclaimed. “Here is the woman now, and this is her son – the very one Elisha brought back to life!”

 6 “Is this true?” the king asked her. And she told him the story. So he directed one of his officials to see that everything she had lost was restored to her, including the value of any crops that had been harvested during her absence.

What is a slogan? We have heard them. We probably remember or certainly recognize many of them. A slogan is a short, easily remembered phrase associated with an idea, product, or service. It’s a succinct statement, a catchphrase that encapsulates the objectives or essence of a company, individual, or candidate, serving as a motto.

Originating from the rallying or war cries of ancient Highland clans, the term slogan is derived from a rallying cry, war-cry, or gathering word or phrase of one of the clans. Slogan is a variant spelling of Scots slogorne – battle cry, from Gaelic sluagh-ghairm derived from sluagh – host + gairm – shout. Some modern-day equivalents might be “Go get them,” “We are the Champions,” or “Remember the Alamo.”

In advertising, effective slogans form the backbone of identity and value. They encapsulate the company’s entire mission in a catchy and enduring phrase. They represent a commitment to customers. More than just a phrase, it’s a reflection of the brand’s entire mission. A slogan communicates precisely what the company does and why it does it.

Slogans play a critical role in brand building and marketing. The effectiveness of a slogan is determined by how well it is remembered. Often, a slogan becomes ingrained in popular culture: “Where’s the beef?”

Consider the Allstate Insurance TV commercial. Many of us have heard it a multitude of times. “You’re in good hands with Allstate.”

The creation of this slogan has an interesting backstory. Davis W. Ellis, one of Allstate’s sales executives, conceived it based on a similar phrase used by his wife. When their child was under a doctor’s care, she assured Ellis that their child was in good hands.

Who wouldn’t wouldn’t want to be in “good hands” when you need help? That’s the sentiment Allstate capitalized on when marketing its insurance policies using this brilliant slogan.

God protects His own when they trust in Him and remain in His Good Hands.

Psalm 36:7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

Psalms 91:1-4

 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

 2 This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.

 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Often, the Father utilizes intentional delays to position us in the right place at the right time. Our days, hours, minutes, and even seconds are in the Father’s hands. The Father was operating behind the scenes to meet the needs of the woman whose son was brought back to life through the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 4:18-37). After the miraculous healing, the woman and her son left the country due to a famine.

The timing was impeccable when she returned years later to request the king to return her abandoned land. At that exact moment, the king was discussing with Gehazi, the prophet’s servant. Gehazi was retelling the story of how Elisha had resurrected her son just as the woman walked in (2 Kings 8:5). Upon confirming the details of the case, the king granted her request, and her lands were restored to her.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father graciously works to accomplish His will on earth as it is in heaven. He has a timeline of the events in the lives of each child of the King. He has appointments set up for us that we are totally unaware of until the moment we discover them. Over and over, we are encouraged to trust the Father and recognize that He is the Lord of our every moment.

Father, thank You for all the days of my life, which are in Your hands. You are the Potter; I am the clay.

INSIGHT

The Father is always at work in the lives of the children of the King. Throughout history, He has been actively involved in people’s everyday lives. In fact, He is orchestrating history. The Father invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

Father is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He has been working throughout history to accomplish His purposes. He does not invite us to set magnificent goals and then pray that He will help us achieve them.

The Father has His own agenda when He approaches us. He desires to get us from where we are to where He is working. He leads us from being self-centered to being God-centered. When the Father reveals to you where He is working, that becomes His invitation to join Him in His activity. When God reveals His work to you, that is the time to respond to Him (Blackaby).

The image of planning the way and directing the steps suggests embarking on a journey. The surprise comes in discovering that in the realm of planning daily activities, where humans believe they are in control, the Father’s will is most intimately at work. He works through the mental processes of human thought to bring about His desire (Bland).

There is an invisible equilibrium in the dynamic interplay between divine guidance and human initiative, giving God “not only the last word but the soundest.” People make plans and act them out (Waltke).

The LORD orchestrates the path of one’s life, guiding each step. Not a single step is made without the Lord’s supervision. A man may plan his road to the last detail, but he cannot implement it unless it coincides with the Father’s plan for him. He is deluded if he supposes that he has unfettered control and can impose his will on every situation without limitation to make his plan a reality. Shakespeare eloquently said, “There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.” (Waltke).

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© Dr. H 2024

Character-driven prayer ∙

Character-driven prayer ∙

Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. – Ecclesiastes 5:2

Matthew 6:8-10

 8 Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your Will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

“Friday Night Lights” is an American sports drama television series. It follows the lives of a football-driven community in rural Texas. Set in the fictional town of Dillon, it portrays the dreams, ambitions, and challenges faced by relatable characters associated with the local high school football teams, the Dillon Panthers, and, in later seasons, the East Dillon Lions. The Dillon Panthers have earned a reputation as one of the nation’s premier high school football teams, led by their head coach, Eric Taylor, one of America’s best high school football coaches.

The series boldly shows heartfelt, authentic prayer, which enriches its authenticity and relevance. It presented people living out their faith, albeit somewhat imperfectly. It showcased how a godly man, although not an overtly religious one, could serve as a role model and mentor, a builder of character, a friend that sticks closer than a brother, with the moral compass to do what is right. His commitment and values are consistently reflected in his prayers.

In the series finale, “Always,” Coach Eric Taylor offers a prayer before the state finals. It’s a simple prayer. It is memorable because it does not focus on self-serving and self-aggrandizing victory. Instead, it focuses on talent and unity.

Dear Heavenly Father, keep us and protect us tonight. Please allow us to take the talents you have given us and use them to the very best this evening. As a family. As one. Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Coach Eric Taylor models character-driven prayer that focuses on maximizing abilities rather than short-term outcomes. His ultimate goal is to shape and develop people of character and integrity.

REFLECT & PRAY

Our commitment and values are seen through prayers.

Father my heart be right in Your own eyes. May prayers be more and more character-driven and reflective of a heart that is pleasing to You.

INSIGHT

What should be our attitude when we pray? How does it reflect our character and walk with the Father?

The Psalms offer many models. They are God-centered, not man-centered. They are character-driven. They overflow with thankfulness and gratitude. They highlight particular qualities of the Father that are attractive, desirable, and worthy of worship.

Psalms 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Through the centuries, many have attempted to follow these models. They are often seen in prayers offered at mealtime.

The most ancient examples are the Jewish Brachot (Blessings) before eating.

Special Brachot – benedictions – are traditionally spoken in Hebrew before eating food or drinking any beverage.

Each benediction begins:

Baruch atah adonai elokeinu melech haolam

Blessed Are You, God, our Lord, King of the World.

The endings depend specifically on what is to be eaten or drunk:

For Bread:

… Hamotzie lechem myn ha’aretz.

Who brings forth bread from the ground.

For Wine & Grape juice:

…Boreiy pree hagafen.

Who creates the fruit of the vine.

The Common Table Prayer was first published in 1753 in a Moravian hymnal.

Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest and bless what you have bestowed.

There is also the Catholic Table Prayer.

Bless us, O Lord, And these thy gifts,

Which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,

Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

For small children

God is great, God is good. Let us thank him for our food.

By His hands, we all are fed. Thank you, Lord, for our daily bread. Amen.

How can we develop a character-driven prayer life?

It all begins in our hearts. We must get them right with the Father.

Proverbs 16:7 When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.

If our hearts are not right with the Father, what will happen?

Psalms 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

The English word translated as regard comes from the Hebrew word roeh. Roeh is a common Hebrew word that means to see. Psalms 66:18a is literally translated as “If I had seen iniquity in my heart.”

It has thus been translated as “If I had cherished iniquity” (RSV), “If I had ignored my sins” (TEV), and “If I had not confessed” (NLT). Some translations take an even more pejorative tact. “If I had thought about (doing) evil” (TOB); “Had I an evil thought and in my mind” (NJV); and “If I had had wicked intentions” (FRCL). The sense is, “If I turned my head from my sins,” “If I had shut my eyes on the evil I had done,” and “If I had put deaf ears on my sins.”

The point is, if we don’t get it right about sins in our hearts, our prayers will not be right either. We are only deceiving ourselves if we think they are.

Psalms 66:18 states what would have happened if the psalmist had not been aware of and confessed his sins; God would not have listened to his prayer, that is, God would not have done what he had asked God to do” (UBS).

How do the children of the King get it right? Ask the Father to point out unknown sin within and confess it.

Psalms 139:24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Follow the advice of the Lord Jesus Christ on how to pray.

Matthew 6:5-7

 5 When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.

 6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

 7 When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

“If we refuse to admit to some sin, despite the conviction of the Holy Spirit on our heart, we can have no confidence in prayer and no right to expect a divine “yes.” God blesses obedience, not stubbornness” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024

Outrage fatigue ∙∙

Outrage fatigue ∙∙

Lawlessness will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. – Matthew 24:12

John 14:1, 27

 1 Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

 27 I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

We live in what’s commonly referred to as “The Age of Outrage.” Many thoughtful and empathetic individuals are constantly bombarded with distressing national and global events that have reached the point of exhaustion, hopelessness, cynicism, and apathy. This has been labeled Outrage Fatigue. They are simply exhausted from being upset, worn out from the emotional toll of perpetual indignation. It is almost impossible to muster the energy to cope, let alone address these issues effectively. They cannot take it anymore.

It is as though our outrage button has been pushed so many times that it is malfunctioning. Our mental and emotional reserves are depleted. Just when we think situations can’t deteriorate any further, they do. The unthinkable has become the new normal.

In 2018, Ed Stetzer wrote, “Christians in the Age of Outrage: How to Bring Our Best When the World Is at Its Worst.”

Stetzer writes, “Our world seems awash in anger, division, and hostility. We need to decide how to respond. This is indeed our moment to learn how to live like Christ amid the shouting, anger, and hatred. To be sure, there is a lot in this world that is outrage inducing . . .. But this is part of the problem. How do we know when righteous anger has made the turn into unbridled outrage? These questions do not have easy answers.”

“That’s why I wrote this book: to help Christians think through the unique challenges of this age. I’m encouraged because I’ve witnessed so many Christians bringing their best to build the Kingdom of God. The age of outrage cannot and will not distract us from what is true” (Ed Stetzer).

Regrettably, the disheartening reality we see in our fallen world today is nothing new. Throughout history, kind-hearted and caring people have been tormented by mankind’s wickedness and decadence.

2 Peter 2:7-9

 7 But God also rescued Lot because he was a righteous man who was distressed of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.

 8 Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.

 9 So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father is greater than all things on earth and in heaven. He is greater than the wrathful and malevolent people of the Earth. Nothing and no one can rival His greatness.

Father without question, I have struggled with outrage fatigue. You saw these things coming and have provided what is necessary for each child of the King to transcend whatever brings us down.

INSIGHT

Some folks in the world seem to have the “happy” gene. Apparently, their DNA is generously sprinkled with an abundance of “cheer up” written in their genetic code. They bring sunshine with them wherever they go.

The Father God embodies this trait. With the singular exception of the day that the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son, died, the Father never has a down day. He never suffers a setback, disappointment, or disillusionment. He is never taken by surprise.

Even the best of us have physical and emotional limitations. Inevitably, human strength gives out. The Father’s capacity and strength have no such limitations. The Father is greater than our circumstances. He promises to share His strength with us when we are discouraged and need it the most.

Isaiah 40:28-31

 28 Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

 29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

 30 Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

 31 But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

As we grow to spiritual maturity, an amazing internal transformation occurs. We develop the skill to trust Him and depend on Him. His unlimited strength flows into us. It infuses us, empowering us to rise above whatever brings us down.

The events and circumstances that provoke our outrage were known and expected before the foundation of the world. Current events were once prophecies. In the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts (2 Peter 3:3).

2 Timothy 3:1-5

 1 You should know this, in the last days, there will be very difficult times.

 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.

 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.

 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.

 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

“It’s an angry world right now, and we need a grace-filled and gospel-driven response . . . Ed Stetzer shows us how to walk through the minefields of disagreement in winsome and God-honoring ways” (Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference). Ed Stetzer offers a fact-laden, research-driven analysis of the chaos and rage of our times. Stetzer takes a common-sense approach and provides the children of the King a means of responding in a wise and refreshingly different way.

2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knows how to rescue godly people.

As children of the King, we want to be circumspect, select our battles wisely, and find strength in His strength.

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© Dr. H 2024

Here I am – Hineni ∙

Here I am – Hineni ∙

Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight.” – Exodus 3:3

Exodus 3:2-6

 2 There, the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.

 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”

 4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied.

 5 “Do lowercase that come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.”

 6 “I am the God of your father – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

For millennia, civilizations worldwide have constructed cities, palaces, monuments, graves, temples, churches, mosques, and other awe-inspiring structures. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, remarkable pieces of art and architecture, stand as a testament to human creativity, imagination, commitment, and hard labor.

They are inspiring and often take our breath away. They draw us in by their sheer majesty and uniqueness. Consider the following: Taj Mahal, India; Colosseum, Italy; Chichen Itza, Mexico; Machu Picchu, Peru; Christ the Redeemer, Brazil; Petra, Jordan; Great Wall of China, China.

How do people draw close to the Father? The Father’s assessment of humanity is pretty grim. Some people may strongly disagree. However, His assessment is accurate yet grievous.

Psalms 14:2-3

 2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise if anyone seeks God.

 3 But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, Not a single one!

Understanding the fallen state of humanity, “all have turned away and have become corrupt,” the Father seeks us. He sent His Son to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10 The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.

The Father frequently uses awe-inspiring means to get our attention and draw us closer to Him. As a result, we turn to Him. We embrace and begin an everlasting dance with the eternal.

REFLECT & PRAY

“God can take an insignificant bush, ignite it, and turn it into a miracle, and that’s what He wanted to do with Moses” (Wiersbe). The Father desires to do the same with each child of the King, no matter how small and inconsequential we see ourselves.

Father thank You for loving me and seeking me out. Thank you for never giving up and drawing me to Yourself.

INSIGHT

The Father uses many methods to seek us out and bring us to Himself. He performs miracles using natural phenomena to draw us: violent storms, whirlwinds, plagues and pestilence, the opening of the Red Sea, the burning bush, and ultimately, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He attracts and calls out to us. He piques our curiosity and interest. We are fascinated, captivated, and strangely and oddly drawn. Marvelously, we pivot and begin to seek Him.

Jeremiah 29:13-14

 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

 14 I will be found by you, declares the LORD.

The story of the burning bush is well known. Yet many details are often overlooked. It wasn’t just a burning bush that got Moses’ attention. The angel of the Lord was there too. He was the source of fire that did not consume the bush. He was the one who spoke to Moses from the midst of the burning bush. The bush itself did not say a word to Moses. After all, bushes are not known for their great oratory.

Exodus 3:2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up.

Moses observed and was drawn to come closer because what he saw was impossible in the natural world. The Father initiated; Moses responded.

Exodus 3:3 Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight.”

Moses is the perfect prototype for every child of the King. The Father initiates contact, and we respond.

Exodus 3:4 When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied.

The repetition of Moses’ name has special significance. In ancient Semitic culture, addressing someone by saying his or her name twice was a way of expressing endearment, affection, and friendship. Thus, Moses would have understood immediately that he was being addressed by someone who loved him and was concerned about him (Stuart).

Moses’ words are few, but they speak volumes: “Here I am!” In Hebrew, there is only one word, hineni, which literally means I am here. On one level, Moses is simply saying “yes.” But a simple yes can often be laden with profound implications. This is especially true when the summoner is Father God. Possibly, Moses isn’t just saying, “Present and accounted for” or “I am here and ready.” Instead, he is exclaiming, “What would you have your servant do?” The Father was not merely calling out to Moses; the Father was calling Moses into His service. Moses was to become the leader of Israel to bring them out of slavery in Egypt. Perhaps hineni is similar to the response of the Cylons, the robot troops from the 1970s TV series Battleship Galactica: “By Your Command.”

Contrary to Hollywood’s portrayal, Moses was no Charleston Heston. When he was at Sinai, he was filled with insecurities. He struggled with self-image issues and apparently some type of speech disorder (Exodus 4:10). Moses wasn’t being modest; he was frightened and ill-prepared for the monumental task that the Father assigned to him.

“What Moses thought of himself, or what others thought of Moses, really wasn’t important. God had spoken, and that was all Moses needed for assurance that he was the right man for the job” (Wiersbe).

Exodus 3:11 Moses said to God, “Who am I . . ..”

The Father’s response should give confidence to every child of the King down through the millennia.

Exodus 3:12 God answered, “I will be with you.”

“‘I will be with you’ is all the assurance God’s servants need in order to succeed” (Wiersbe).

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© Dr. H 2024