A Grace Case: Moses (Part 3)

This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing” by continuing to look at the life of Moses.  With Moses we have been reminded of how God often initiates contact with us, in order to protect us for our life’s assignment and to establish a relationship with Him.  Now I want to highlight the fact that Moses was not perfect.

After Moses had grown up as an Egyptian prince, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit he saw an Egyptian man beating one of his fellow Hebrews.  After looking around to ensure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.  The next day Moses went out to visit his people again.  This time he saw two Hebrew men fighting. “Why are you fighting your friend?” asked Moses, to the one who had started the fight.  The man replied, “Who appointed you to be our prince and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?”  Right then, Moses realized he was in a world of trouble.  Soon after, Pharaoh heard what had happened and attempted to have Moses killed.  Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian.

We already spent a few weeks looking at how Jesus was motivated by love and operated by grace.  I believe it is important for us to see God as a God of grace.  Not because it gives us a license to sin, but because it helps keep us from condemnation.  Whenever we mess up – and we all do – the devil quickly sweeps in and attempts to get us over into condemnation.  The Holy Spirit will convict of righteousness, reminding us who we are in Christ, but He will never condemn us.  When we feel convicted we run TO Christ, when we feel condemned we run FROM Him.

I bring up the point about condemnation because I am sure Moses felt it as he sought to establish his life in Midian.  There he was, living in a tent, in a foreign land, with foreign people, in isolation from everything he ever knew.  The Bible does not tell us anything about his upbringing, but I would venture to say that he felt special.  The Bible leads us to believe the he knew he was a Hebrew.  If he knew he was actually a Hebrew who was adopted into Pharaoh’s family, then how could you not feel special?  All the other Israelites (millions of them) were slaves, being made to work under excruciating circumstances.  Moses was the only Hebrew living in opulence and he seemingly wrecked his life by making a foolish mistake.  Within a week Moses’ life had been turned upside-down.

Have you ever been there?  Have you ever felt like you wrecked your life?  Have you ever felt like you disqualified yourself from your destiny?  Have you ever felt like your mistakes had taken your life to the point of disrepair?  I am sure Moses did, but guess what?  Moses was still alive, so God was not through with him.  God still had plans for Moses and He still has plans for you!

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:
1.  God is not looking for perfect people because there aren’t any.
2.  God considered your mess-ups before you made them and He destined you anyway.
3.  Don’t allow condemnation to make you feel like you have disqualified yourself from what God has qualified you for.
4.  God uses flawed people to perform holy acts so that the excellency would be of Him, and not of us (2 Cor 4:7).
5.  When God uses you in spite of your failures and flaws He is guaranteed to get the glory!
6.  If you are still breathing, then God is not through with you!

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for this Word.  When I look at the life of Moses and how You still had plans for him after he made major mistakes, I find hope for myself.  I know the mistakes I have made in life.  I realize the fact that I am not perfect.  But I thank You for reminding me that You knew what I would do before I did it, and You still destined me for greatness.  Therefore, shall not allow the enemy to get me over into condemnation.  I resist condemnation at all costs.  I am not perfect, but I am forgiven.  I am still alive and You still have plans for me.  I declare, by faith, that I shall continue to press toward my purpose with bulldog-tenacity.  I will not allow a mistake to derail me.  When I make mistakes, I repent and move forward.  Forward ever, backward never!  The best is yet to come in my life.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.