There's a plan for your escape

God has set the stage- and now another act unfolds. It's been an interesting Drama so far. We leave "The Beginning" behind and start "The Exodus". Pack your bags...it's time to break out!!

There are approximately 300 years between Joseph's death and Moses' birth. In that time, the Israelites have multiplied from the 70 plus who came with Jacob to over 2 million strong. Memories of Joseph have faded, and the once favored Israelites are now nothing more than a threat. Pharaoh tries to stifle their numbers and kill their babies. He succeeds, partially. One small baby sneaks through.

A deliverer.

Is anyone else hearing or noticing echoes of another story about a king, threatened by a baby, attempting to wipe out a whole generation of baby boys? Then, just like here...that small baby sneaks through.

A deliverer.

Man...I have goose bumps. God is so amazing.

I could really wrap the post up there. Seriously. Sermon done. With every post I feel like there is just SO MUCH...I always feel like I'm leaving a ton out...and my posts are still too long! So, I really can't stop there- because well...there's just SO MUCH! And, it all connects together like one gigantic puzzle, still being put together. So- are you ready?? Here we go..

• A woman successfully hides her baby boy who should have been killed...puts him in a basket and floats him on the Nile. THE NILE folks...this isn't your everyday backyard stream...
• Who should find said baby boy but Pharaoh's daughter. Who, "just so happens" to decide to take pity on him and find a Hebrew nursemaid to feed him until he's weaned. That was a gracious gift from God to Moses' mother for sure.
• Then, lo and behold, one of the Hebrew boys Pharaoh was so intent on having killed is raised as a grandson in his very own palace. Moses received a top notch egyptian education including reading, writing, math, geography, military training, PUBLIC SPEAKING (ahem, cough, cough)...Does anyone else find it ironic that Pharaoh was ultimately training the man who would bring his kingdom to it's knees?
• Things start to look pretty bleak for Moses when he kills an egyptian for harassing a Hebrew. This puts a price on his head, so he flees to (ahem) the desert...where he gets a wife and makes a life. I bet at this point Pharaoh probably wondered what he'd done with Moses all these years. I doubt he ever thought that someone raised as an Egyptian prince would choose the slaves over palace life.
• Ahhh, the bush. The bush. Moses meets God and receives his "commissioning." I love his stuttering and stammering. "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" If I were witnessing this scene, I'd look around and ask "Who else???" I mean, if anyone was prepared, groomed and set up for this Moses was. He was "the missing link" between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Blood of one ran in his veins and the culture, training, education and language of the other formed his mind. I don't know about you, but this blog has provided me the opportunity to discuss scripture with my husband more often. I was asking him about what sort of education and training Moses would have gotten in Pharaoh's palace and he listed it out for me...(I have well trained resources...:) Then he said that Moses saying he had trouble speaking was basically like he was saying "Uhh..well, I failed speech class..."

Now, seriously, cutting Moses some slack, I have to admit that the conversations between God and myself over something a tiny as starting this blog were very similar to Moses' "Uh...well, I failed speech class...". I can't imagine what my response would be if he asked me to go confront the president and tell him...well, I don't know what...but something he didn't want to hear. But, as I've gone along, I've realized just how God really had prepared me for doing this. The beautiful thing is he didn't just prepare me, but he prepared all the other contributors and you as readers. All the little "coincidences" in our lives were God working his plan out before our eyes.

We will all have a moment at "the bush". Maybe more than one. A point of commissioning. Ladies, God does not have you here on this planet for no reason at all. There is a task for you to do. God has a purpose for your life, and it may be something you think is pretty scary. But I promise you this, you already have all you need. You're thinking, "She just doesn't know me. There's no way I have anything to offer." Maybe not, but I don't even need to know you. I know the One who's asking you.

"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, I AM has sent me to you."

What God was telling Moses was "I'm not the God who was, I'm not the God who's coming, I AM God. I have been God. I will always be God. I saw you in Egypt, I see my people still in Egypt, I was there when you were born, when you were rescued, and I will be with you when you go forward. I AM the person who has orchestrated your whole life, and the lives of millions of people, to be part of what I AM about to do right now." God ALWAYS has a plan. It's key to His "I AMness". We are still in the midst of a great story of deliverance, and your part and mine are integral to the plot. There are "coincidences" in your life that God has placed there to prepare you for something, even if you don't see it now.

When you meet God at your own personal burning bush I pray you feel the power in the I AM. I hope it gives you the perspective to see past your own shortcomings and straight to His all encompassing power and knowledge and perfection. I hope you say, "Yes. Lord, yes." It's a turning point for your life...the end of your beginning and the beginning of your end.

Go ahead, escape with your deliverer.

Amen Lord. Thank you.