Today let's talk about Moses.
A story of beginning again.
Just as a computer can start to bog down and lose speed, so can our lives. Little by little, we pick up bad self-care habits and allow the tyranny of the urgent to crowd our spiritual time. When that happens, we need an opportunity to reboot and start fresh.
Exodus 2: 11-22
Moses Flees from Egypt
11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.
12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.
But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Mid´i-an: and he sat down by a well.
16 Now the priest of Mid´i-an had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
18 And when they came to Reu´el their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon today?
19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zippo´rah his daughter.
22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
Now, Moses died when he was about 120 years old. Moses was a prince for forty years, then he killed a man. He was an exiled shepherd for forty years, where he was humbled, and in today’s language reinvented. Then he became the leader of a nation of freed slaves for forty years.
So, two thirds of Moses’ life was spent not serving God. We don’t discuss it much, but in Chapter 4 we learn his son, probably Gershom specifically, was not circumcised, as we see that Zipporah took care of that in order to save Moses’ life.
Sometimes we mess up and we need to seclude ourselves – FOR A LITTLE WHILE – while we seek God, and get ourselves back together. To start over. I thank God for being a forgiving Lord for just such reasons.