Knowing God's Plans

“If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don’t forget, this is your people, your responsibility.” Exodus 21:28

Every serious Christian can occasionally get bogged down with wondering if they are accomplishing God’s will. This can especially cause questions if we believe we are being obedient to Christ, but are seeing few results or experiencing much opposition. Add to that the simple human desire to have some certainty about what is coming next and we can understand Moses’ words to the Lord.

It is time to actually start their journey to the Promised Land. God has met Moses on the mountain and given him the Ten Commandments. Moses descends the mountain only to find his brother Aaron has taken all the people’s jewelry and fashioned an idolatrous calf from it. “Here is your Lord,” he had said to the people who were afraid Moses was not going to return from his hike into the smoky crags near Sinai’s peak.

Angry with the people, God actually offers to wipe them out, keeping Moses alive. Moses begs (er, sorry, Christian word, “intercedes”) God to keep the people alive, and God relents.

I know the pressure that comes with leadership. You are pressed to be up front, taking people forward, coming up with new things to keep them interested, but not so new that they think you have done away with their time held traditions. Perhaps, having been bit by people in one organization, a leader is slow to act very courageously the next time around.

So, we can imagine Moses’ uncertainty. It’s been a roller coaster ride to be sure; the miracles in Egypt, the plagues with Pharaoh saying “yes” and changing his mind at the last minute, more than once. Finally, as the people leave Egypt en masse and are cornered at the banks of the Red Sea, God miraculously parts the waters as Moses points his rod toward them.

Once on the journey, the people complain and, as we’ve already noticed, asked for something to worship while Moses was gone. “You know, Aaron. We don’t want a different God, just something to hold us over till Moses gets back.”

God loves Moses, having chosen him from his infancy. So Moses uses that knowledge to ask God to treat him “special” right now. He has a huge task ahead, much larger than he truly imagines. At this point, there was nothing to indicate that what would normally take about 40 days would become a 40 year journey. Moses appeals to God’s own nature as he prays.

He knows that he doesn’t have enough personal skill to do all that needs to be done. That sort of humility will always help leadership. He asks God for guidance, acknowledging his own need. But, his humility doesn’t keep him from asking boldly. Knowing that God has called him “special” he asks to be in on God’s plans.

This reminds me of when Jesus told His disciples, “I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing. No, from now on, you are My friends,” implying, of course, that He is going to let them in on His plan.

Finally, Moses says, “they are Your people after all.” What a difference if every Christian leader thought that way. Whatever group we are called to lead or manage, they are all God’s people. Moses knows God is highly invested in His people and will answer Him on that basis.

Maybe it would be a good idea to humbly tell God we need His direction before jumping into the next big thing. And, I certainly think we should expect God to answer, knowing that we also are “special” because we have trusted Christ as Lord and Savior.

So, today, if you need guidance or assurance, be sure to ask. And, having asked, be confident that Father-God has chosen you, thinks you are special, and will gladly open His way to you. It may be different than what you imagined, but, it is His way, after all, not ours.