A man with a stick

There is a man I know about and his life is a pretty interesting story. I guess he always had his way and very few people would dare oppose him because his foster dad was a real big shot in the country. He lived in a huge house and had every comfort he could ask for. One fine day he did something that landed him in a huge mess. His dad was really mad at him. It was so bad that he decided to run away from home and so he did. The poor guy no longer indulged in the luxury he once had at home. Nevertheless, he settled down in a place far away from home. One day he was hanging around town when he saw a bunch of girls stopping by for a drink. He noticed a few guys trying to bully them. Well he could have just ignored all of it and gone his way - instead he jumped to their rescue and chased those bullies away. The girls happened to be siblings and were obviously pretty impressed by his chivalry. They went home and told their dad about this man who had made their day. Well their father was impressed by what he heard and so he had him come over for a meal. He really fit in well with the family and he began living with them. After a while, he married one of the sisters and even had a son with her. He even started looking after their family business.

This man’s name is Moses and you can read this story in Exodus chapter 2. The mess he got himself into was that he had killed an Egyptian one day. “When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one who was in the wrong, “Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?” He answered, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh...” (Exodus 2: 13-15)

We all make mistakes in life. Although we do not fear the mistakes themselves, we do fear the consequences those mistakes have brought about. Moses was not afraid he had killed someone, he was afraid of its consequences. The mistake he had made:

1. Caused him to lose his authority over his own fellow Hebrew.
2. Terrified him when he learned that everyone now knew of his mistake.
3. Caused him to flee Egypt even though he was the Prince of Egypt.
4. Caused him to fear Pharaoh because Pharaoh was bent on killing him.

It was because of all of the above reasons that Moses fled to Midian. It was because he fled to Midian that he sat down by a well there. It was because he sat there that he saw the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian. It was because he stood up for what was right on that day, that he was called for a meal. It was because of that meal that he got to know the family and started living with them. It was because he lived with them, that he got married to Zipporah. It was because he settled well with them that he was given custody of Jethro’s sheep. It was because he had to take care of his father-in-law’s sheep that he needed a stick or staff or rod.

And it was this stick that became a snake when it was thrown down. It was this snake that swallowed up the other snakes in Pharaoh’s court. It was this stick which struck the Nile and turned it into blood. It was this stick that brought frogs up on the land of Egypt. It was this stick that struck the ground and produced gnats. It was this stick that was stretched to heaven and thunder, hail and lightning flashed. It was this stick that brought the wind that produced the locusts. It was this stick that struck the Red Sea and parted it. It was this stick which Moses held up with the help of Aaron and Hur from morning till sun set and Joshua defeated the Amalekites that day. It was this stick that was referred to as the "staff of God" (Exodus 4:20) All this occurred because it so happened that Moses made a mistake and ran for his life from Egypt.

When I think of the goodness and wisdom of the King of Kings ... who chooses to use the consequences of my fears and mistakes... as a platform to give me opportunities to equip me with a tool or an anointing (stick).... to help me in my mission for life and thus reach my destiny... it blows my mind. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.” (Psalms 139:1-6)

Are you feeling down today because you no longer live in Pharaoh’s palace because of something stupid you did? Are you living in fear of the consequences of the mistakes you have made? Are you feeling dejected that once you were the Prince of Egypt, but now all you do is keep sheep? Are you feeling devastated because people around you have come to know about your mistakes? Are you tellingyour self today, “I have failed in life”? If so, I have news for you: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

God reverted every consequence of his mistake:

1. He had lost authority over one fellow Hebrew, but he gained authority over a nation of Hebrews.
2. He was devastated because everyone had come to know his mistakes, but Moses became “a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s officials and in the sight of the people”(Exodus 11: 3)
3. He fled Egypt but God sent him back to “perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that God put in his power” (Exodus 4:21)
4. He feared Pharaoh but God “made him like God to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7: 1)

Looking after sheep using a stick might not sound very exciting compared to being a prince - but while he was leading those sheep, he “came to Horeb, the mountain of God”. The rest is history. Deuteronomy 33:10-12 says, “Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of Israel.”

Moses grabbed that one opportunity of standing up for the daughters of Jethro, and that is how he became a flock caretaker, and that is how he got his stick. Moses lost out on a lot because of his mistake but he gained a stick. God used that to fulfill his destiny. Are you lost somewhere out there with a stick, tending to sheep and saying to yourself, “if at all I hadn't made that one stupid mistake!” Do not be disheartened - if His eye is on the sparrow, His eye is on you too.

I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again: When I think of the goodness and wisdom of God ...who chooses to use the consequences of my fears and mistakes... as a platform to give me opportunities to equip me with a tool or an anointing (stick).... to help me in my mission for life and thus reach my destiny... it blows my mind. To God be the glory!

The glory in the wind

Click here to read Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew 14:31 “…You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

In this passage of scripture we see Jesus commanding the disciples to get into a boat and go over to “the other side” of the sea. (Matthew 14:22) That was their target destination – the other side. As they were making their way on the boat, they experienced extremely difficult circumstances. A very strong wind began to blow against them. The gospels record that they strained very hard at the oars trying to steer the boat to “the other side” all night. Early in the morning Jesus came walking toward them on the sea. (Mathew 14:25). The disciples were terrified. “But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.”” (Mathew14:27)

Upon hearing this, the Bible in Mathew 14:28 says that, “Peter answered him “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on water.” Think about that statement for a moment. Peter answered?? Peter answered?? Which question was he answering? Jesus didn’t ask him any question. I would have liked it if the Bible had said “Peter stated” or “Peter requested” because that would have made more grammatical sense, but the Bible wasn’t written to satisfy my likes. Certain versions use the phrase “Peter replied.” The root word there implies “Peter answered.” What was he answering?

We find that in the earlier verse, Jesus reveals Himself to them - “…It is I…” Every revelation of who Christ is to us is also an invitation for us to walk like Jesus walked. Peter was answering that invitation. Peter was giving his reply to that invitation. “But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles…” (Galatians1:15,16a). Think of the first time the truth of the gospel was revealed to you. Did you really need an invitation? No. You just knew that the invitation was there. When Christ revealed His salvation to you, you would have replied, “Lord if that is you; bid me to come to you.” And the response forever will be “come.”

“…So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water and came toward Jesus, but when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out His hand and caught him saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mathew14:29-31) There are four things we see happen to Peter: 1. He noticed the wind 2. He became frightened 3. He began to sink. 4. He cried out for help. However the response of Jesus was none of the following: 1. “You of little focus, why did you notice the wind? 2. “You of little courage, why did you fear?” 3. “You of little perseverance, why did you sink?” 4. “You of little composure, why did you panic?” The response of Jesus was “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” This indicates that the four things that happened to Peter happened because he doubted and he had little faith. It was because of the lack of faith that he noticed the wind, became frightened, began to sink and cried out in fear.

Think for a moment what Peter went through. He noticed the wind. What does the wind have anything to do with walking on water? From the little science I know, anything that’s denser than water will sink and vice versa. The wind has nothing to do with whether something sinks or floats. I could try walking on water right now and I am sure I will sink – regardless of whether there is a wind blowing or not! So why was it that Peter took special note of the wind that caused him to fear? Although the wind had nothing to do with Peter walking on water, the wind was the chief cause of a previous failure. It was due to the wind that they could not row the boat ashore. There are many “winds” that we as believers take note of. The wind of failure, the wind of hurt, the wind of opposition, the wind of rejection and so on and so forth. Are the “winds” of yesterday that caused you failure and dejection causing you fear for your walk today?

“…But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…” (Philippians 3:13) Do not let the factors that caused you failure and difficulty yesterday become your focus. You cannot walk your walk today focusing on yesterday’s winds. If you do, you will become frightened, you will sink and you will panic. So actually what did Peter doubt? He doubted whether yesterdays winds will affect his today’s walk. Notice that the disciples were terrified in the boat. (Verse 26) Then Jesus comes along and says do not fear. (Verse 27) Then Verse 30 says he became afraid again. Keep a constant watch over your life to not let yesterday’s fears creep in to today’s ventures. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:21-26). Remember the Lord’s compassions are new every morning; they do not depend on the winds of yesterday.

Finally, verse 24 says “the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.” It does not specify which “land”. Whether it was the land from where they started or the land to which they were going. There are two ways of looking at this verse. One way is to say that the boat is far from the destination; far from the “other side”. Another way is to say that the boat is far from where it started. I may not be where I hope to be; nor am I where I ought to be; but by the grace of God, I am not where I used to be. Isn’t it amazing that even though the wind was against the boat, the boat still drifted far from where it started? “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20). Give God the glory for every wind that has come your way.

There is so much I see now
That I was oft blind to
The more of Him I get to know
The less I try to do

His works in me depend not
On mine failure, sin or hurt
But on unbelief and its blot
Will cleanse in me all dirt

When I sense His face and voice
In manners not yet known
Faith in Him will hold its poise
And doubt at last is blown

Thus in Him will my trust rest
Though with my eyes I don’t see
For I know He knows best
I’m glad His love found me.