Someone once said that “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians,,,,, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” with that being said….. I think it’s funny how God uses certain things in your life to reveal specific things that you need to hear.
This encounter happened when I was minding my own business watching an episode of “Hells Kitchen” on Fox. Gordon Ramsay was being his normal self by yelling and cussing every other prepositional phrase at his chefs who were all performing very poorly. During this hour, one of the things that Chef Gordon was repeatedly saying over and over was, “Taste the food first before sending it out!!” Most of the potential executive chefs were sending out food to the guest that was either, too salty, too bland, and/or too spicy, and all they had to do to remedy this simple problem was to taste the food first and fix the mistake.
Immediately after I heard Chef Gordon say this, God thumped me on the head and asked me one simple question He already knew the answer too. “Do you speak simple truths to others without applying it to your life first?” I was speechless, I didn’t know what to say because I knew in my own life, I was expecting people around me to live a life that I didn’t require of myself first. He immediately referred me to the life of Moses to explain this conviction.
Most people only know the story of Moses from what they learned from their Sunday School Teacher or even what they have seen in the movies. I believe one of the greatest truths that had to be revealed, happened even before Moses even went to Egypt to ask Pharaoh to “let his people go.” In order for you to understand this post, you must first know the main reason why the Hebrews needed to be freed was not because they were, “Slaves of Egypt” but because they were “Slaves to unrighteousness.” During captivity, the Hebrew people were unable to worship God as they were instructed to do. At that present time, circumcision was a man’s way to enter into a covenant with God. Pharaoh prohibited this act of worship and caused all men to be left uncircumcised during their slavery. (In fact, local Pastor, Chuck Swindoll mentions Joseph, a another Bible character, had to show he was circumcised to his brothers in order for them to realize that it was actually him alive in Egypt). God chose Moses to free His people so they could worship Him accordingly. What happens next reveals the truth and how we can apply it to our lives even IF it’s in the Old Testament.
Exodus 4:24-26 is what blew me away because even after God chose Moses and gave him clear cut instructions, and even after Moses conceded after begging God to pick someone else, God came into the night ready to kill Moses before his adventure even started. See Moses forgot one small detail…his son wasn’t even circumcised so how can he deliver God’s people from this bondage, when he himself hasn’t worshipped God in this way? Zipporah his wife had to unconventionally be the person who responded and spared Moses’ life while he was asleep.
I had to chew on this story for a long time just because, I myself tend to act on things without applying it to my life first. When I was working at my previous church, one of the most common mistakes that I made frequently was the fact that I would go into study only to prep for the next bible study that I would be teaching without trying to apply what He was teaching to me first. In fact, now that I look back, most of the studies that I taught on, were mainly intended for me!!! I urge you to listen to God’s still small voice. His intentions can be played out rather loud if you just listen. I pray that In Joy, Enjoy!!! Even if the truth convicts you. Love God, Love People.
Love God, Love People 