God has a way of making things known to his people. He isn’t a quitter that is for sure. I think so often of the story of Moses when I think of God’s dedication and determination. Let’s look at some determined moments leading up to Moses.
In Genesis he breathed life into man and determined it would be good. Later, he chose a man of great honor who could have no children and he was determined to prove the human body wrong. He was determined to trump evil and show his promises are true by sending a man to build a boat when rain was not even in existence. He then determined to use the “runt” of the bunch to rule a kingdom and spread the name of Jesus. He was determined to use Moses a mortal man with physical deficits to speak over a nation and lead the Children of God. So much determination, all to a find a form of freedom all of which first had to begin with surrender.
The definition of surrender is to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority, to abandon oneself entirely to (a powerful emotion or influence); give in too. Let’s look at Moses from birth. Starting in Exodus 2, we are introduced to a mother who was a levite who found favor in her son like most mothers do. Previously in chapter 1, the King at the time was destined to toss all male children into the Nile. Now, here was the levite woman whom just had a boy who was beautiful, so she hid Moses. At around 3 months, she was not able to hide him any longer, so she made a basket and left him amongst the reeds in the river. A form of surrender. She sent Mariam to sit and spy on the basket. Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe and saw the baby and captured the child and doted over him. She chose him to stay with her in the house of the King, and for his very own mother to nurse him. A boy who was meant to be thrown away, the Lord was determined to use him. Moses, raised an Egyptian, born a Levite, went and saw the torment of his own people and killed an Egyptian man. This became known to Pharaoh, but God was determined to use Moses and he was able to escape his death. Moses then married, and worked as a shepherd. From the King’s mansion to the fields, the Lord was determined. In chapter 3, Moses was abiding in the field with his sheep and our determined God looked down and set a bush ablaze to speak to him. God reminded him he was standing on Holy Ground and spoke to him and told him to surrender and lead the people from Egypt into the wilderness. Let me stop here. Moses a man who just fled the nation was being told by God to return and free the others? Moses began to doubt what our God could do. He pointed out his frailty of his body. The lack of power he obtained, but God was determined. He pointed out sign after sign to show him he would care for him. Moses told God of his inability to speak eloquently, and God had to remind him of the creator of the mouth. He was determined. Moses still did not obey or desire the Lord’s plan. But our God is relentless and provided his brother to go along side him.
Moses first went through a season of Surrender. Surrender of family, surrender of friends, abandoning all he knew, the surrender of comfort, surrender of fear, and followed the guidance of our determined God. Later, God used Moses to free the people, to lead them into the promised land, to see the God of heaven’s light shining upon him, to perform some of the most renown miracles. From surrender to a life of Freedom.
The definition of freedom is the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. Moses was no longer held back because our determined God was persistent for his plan to prevail. How often do we sit in the comfort afraid of the surrender? How often do we use our own fears and frailty to negotiate with God when in all reality that surrender is leading to a place of freedom? I so often am Moses, fighting with a determined God. Determined to use me amongst the surrender, determined to use the surrender to free a generation or nation from the evil of the world. Determined to free me from the imprisonment of comfort to perform miracles and make his name known. Freedom amongst the surrender. He did it in Moses, he did it in Noah, he did it Job, he did it Ruth, he did it Abraham, he did it in me, and he will do it in you. He is determined, whether one month or ten years, he is determined to free you in amongst a state of surrender. Surrender my friends to the will of the God of Heaven to fall into the miraculous freedom he offers. James 4:10 says: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. He did it for Moses, he’ll do it for you.
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