“Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”” (Exodus 3:1–4, NRSV)
In the scripture for today, it is explained that Moses spent a good while “keeping the flock” for Jethro (Exodus 3:1). Because this verse comes in-between some amazing things in Moses’ life previous and some amazing things on Mt. Sinai, we forget that years passed between Genesis 2 and Genesis 3, maybe decades. Exodus 2:23 informs us that a “long period” had passed, maybe ten or twenty or thirty or more years. We do not know exactly. What we do know is that God’s great leader, Moses, did little more than tending sheep and starting a family. You might look at this period in Moses’ life as a waste of time. However, what you must remember is that God often holds people back until the right time arrives and everything is in place for their mission to begin.
We often forget that nothing is mentioned in the gospels of Jesus’ life from age twelve until almost thirty. For eighteen years, there is no mention of Jesus’ healings or ministry or teaching. The conditions were not yet ripe for Jesus to begin His work. Jesus had to bide His time until God’s plan was ready to go into motion.
Sometimes, you may feel like you aren’t doing enough or not being effective. It may be because you have removed yourself from actively doing things for God. It may also be that God is preparing you for an important work. Sometimes, God will pull you back from active work. During that time, God will strengthen your heart, increase the efficacy of your prayers, or develop a deeper or stronger faith. Those times when you are held back are not wasted. God is preparing you. God is working on something in your heart or soul. God might be healing some hurt or forcing you to work on your attitude. All in all, God is not done with you yet. Your life and actions are a part of God’s plans. You need to do your part, even if that means you must stand down for a while.
“Some of God’s best workers have been laid aside for long periods. Moses was forty years in the desert, doing nothing but tending sheep. One greater than Moses, our blessed Savior, was thirty years preparing. When you are retired or inactive, prepare for the time when God will again use you. If you are put on the shelf, do not rust; pray that the Master will polish you, so that when He uses you again you will be fully ready for the work.
While you are laid aside, I want you to pray for others that are working. Help them and encourage them. Do not get into that peevish, miserable frame of mind that grudges and undervalues other’s efforts. Some people, when they cannot do anything, do not like anybody else to work. Promise that if you cannot help, you will never hinder. Spend time in prayer, that you may be fit for the Master’s use.
At the siege of Gibraltar, when the fleet surrounded it and determined to storm the old rock, the governor fired red–hot shot (shotgun-type pellets) down on the ships. ...gunners on the ramparts were firing away, and every garrison soldier wanted to join them. What did those who could not fire a gun do? They heated the shot. And that is what you must do.
Your pastor is the master gunner, so heat the shot for him. Keep the furnace going, so that when a sermon is fired off it will be red–hot because of your earnest prayers. When you see your friends sitting in Sunday school or standing in the street working for God, if you cannot join them, say, “Never mind. If I can contribute nothing else, my prayers will heat the shot.”” (Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, p. 9)
Are you good at working hard for God? How well do you deal with times when God has you preparing but not active? When you are not actively working for God, do you use that time away to prepare your heart and soul for what is to come next? Do you use the quiet periods in your spiritual life wisely, or just become spiritually lazy?
Where do you think God is going to use you next? How well prepared are you for a spiritual battle to come? Sometimes, the best you can do is prepare for that day when the Lord will need you to be ready.
We often forget that nothing is mentioned in the gospels of Jesus’ life from age twelve until almost thirty. For eighteen years, there is no mention of Jesus’ healings or ministry or teaching. The conditions were not yet ripe for Jesus to begin His work. Jesus had to bide His time until God’s plan was ready to go into motion.
Sometimes, you may feel like you aren’t doing enough or not being effective. It may be because you have removed yourself from actively doing things for God. It may also be that God is preparing you for an important work. Sometimes, God will pull you back from active work. During that time, God will strengthen your heart, increase the efficacy of your prayers, or develop a deeper or stronger faith. Those times when you are held back are not wasted. God is preparing you. God is working on something in your heart or soul. God might be healing some hurt or forcing you to work on your attitude. All in all, God is not done with you yet. Your life and actions are a part of God’s plans. You need to do your part, even if that means you must stand down for a while.
“Some of God’s best workers have been laid aside for long periods. Moses was forty years in the desert, doing nothing but tending sheep. One greater than Moses, our blessed Savior, was thirty years preparing. When you are retired or inactive, prepare for the time when God will again use you. If you are put on the shelf, do not rust; pray that the Master will polish you, so that when He uses you again you will be fully ready for the work.
While you are laid aside, I want you to pray for others that are working. Help them and encourage them. Do not get into that peevish, miserable frame of mind that grudges and undervalues other’s efforts. Some people, when they cannot do anything, do not like anybody else to work. Promise that if you cannot help, you will never hinder. Spend time in prayer, that you may be fit for the Master’s use.
At the siege of Gibraltar, when the fleet surrounded it and determined to storm the old rock, the governor fired red–hot shot (shotgun-type pellets) down on the ships. ...gunners on the ramparts were firing away, and every garrison soldier wanted to join them. What did those who could not fire a gun do? They heated the shot. And that is what you must do.
Your pastor is the master gunner, so heat the shot for him. Keep the furnace going, so that when a sermon is fired off it will be red–hot because of your earnest prayers. When you see your friends sitting in Sunday school or standing in the street working for God, if you cannot join them, say, “Never mind. If I can contribute nothing else, my prayers will heat the shot.”” (Charles Spurgeon, Beside Still Waters, p. 9)
Are you good at working hard for God? How well do you deal with times when God has you preparing but not active? When you are not actively working for God, do you use that time away to prepare your heart and soul for what is to come next? Do you use the quiet periods in your spiritual life wisely, or just become spiritually lazy?
Where do you think God is going to use you next? How well prepared are you for a spiritual battle to come? Sometimes, the best you can do is prepare for that day when the Lord will need you to be ready.