Discontent with deeds alone

Last night I had the unexpected opportunity to teach the Wed. night service at the church we fellowship with here in Mesquite when we're not traveling. It's too long of a story to give details as to why this took place, so I'll summarize: My brother, who pastors the church had to spend the day at a hospital in Las Vegas with a former family member who had been stabbed out in a small Nevada town and then was Life Flighted in to Vegas for treatment. His body will heal, but he is in major need of a spiritual overhaul--pray for Randy if you think about it.

When I found out at 5:00 a.m. that I'd be teaching in just over 13 hours, I immediately sought God's direction on what He would have me share with His people that might be a source of challenge and encouragement considering all that is happening in the world, in the U.S., and in many of their lives.

I settled on an interesting request made by Moses in Exod. 33:13. For him to ask God to "show me Your way," was astounding, based on the depth of relationship Moses already had with God and the incredible deeds he had seen God accomplish. Moses was on a continual pursuit for more and more interactive relationship and thus knowledge about God and it was this desire that prompted his request.

Unlike the majority of the nation of Israel, Moses wasn't content to know God only for His deeds--deeds graciously done on their behalf, deeds that brought them pleasure and comfort and blessing. Their problem was that if God wasn't constantly acting in this way toward them, they immediately questioned His goodness and regularly longed to be back in slavery.

And God did respond to the cry of Moses' heart. Psalm 103:7 makes clear that He did show Moses His ways, but Israel only saw His deeds because in their mind that was all that mattered, God meeting their needs as they understood and defined them.

And so it is with many of His people today. It is so easy for our heart's cry to be for God to act, to do great deeds, to do the things that we think He should do for us so that we can have pleasure, an easy life, more convenience, and so forth.

With Moses, I want to know His ways--His pattern of thinking, His manner of making decisions. I want to have understanding His priorities and to grasp the wisdom behind what He does and what He permits that moves everything towards His ultimate goal. I long to know His ways too, so that regardless of what He permits in to my life, I'll be able to trust that it has come with his permission and in some way, will move me towards being able to glorify Him more effectively.

I closed with Psalm 86:11,12. Check it out.